DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 
BUREAU OF FISHERIES 

HUGH M. SMITH, Commisafoner 



THE MUSSEL RESOURCES OF THE 
ILLINOIS RIVER 

By Ernest Danglade 

Scientific Assistant, U, S. Bureau of Fisheries 

THE MUSSEL HSHERY OF THE 
FOX RIVER 

By John A* Eldridge 



APPENDIXES VI AND VII TO THE REPORT OF THE U. S. 
COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES FOR I9I3 




Boreao of Fisheries Document No. 804 



WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

I9I4 



Monograph 



U. S. B. F.— Doc. 804. 



Plate I. 




FIG. 1.— A MUSSEL FISHERMAN. 




FIG. 2.— A PEARL GATHERER AND HIS CAMP OUTFIT. 



DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

BUREAU OF nSHERIES 

HUGH M. SMITH, Commissioner 



THE MUSSEL RESOURCES OF THE 
ILLINOIS RIVER 

By Ernest Danglade 

Scientific Assistant, U. S. Burea.u of Fisheries 

THE MUSSEL FISHERY OF THE 
FOX RIVER 

By John A. Eldridge 



APPENDIXES VI AND VII TO THE REPORT OF THE U. S. 
COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES FOR 1913 




Bureau of Fisheries Document No, 804 



WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1914 



SH 






ADDITIONAL COPIES 

OF THIS PXJBLICATION MAY BE PROCURED FROM 

THE SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

WASHINGTON, D. C. 

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a CF D. 
OCH 1 1914 



Kj 



THE MUSSEL RESOURCES OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER 



By Ernest Danglade 

Scientific Assistant, U. S. Bureau of Fisheries 



Appendix VI to the Report of the U. S. Commissioner 

of Fisheries for 1913 

1 



CONTENTS 



Page. 

Introduction 3 

Physical conditions 4 

Pollution of the Illinois River 5 

The mussel industry 7 

Character of the shells 8 

Scientific and common names 9 

Commercial appraisal of quantity of shells 10 

Prices of shells 12 

Principal mussel beds 13 

Upper river 13 

Peoria Lake 14 

Lower river 17 

Tributaries 25 

Dead mussel beds 26 

Methods of the Illinois mussel fishery 27 

Crow-foot bar 28 

Dip net 29 

Legislation 30 

The pearls of the Illinois 31 

Finding the pearls 32 

Classification of pearls 33 

Position of pearls in mussel shells 34 

Peeling a pearl 34 

Crippled shells 34 

Quality and value of Illinois pearls 35 

Mussel species -• 37 

Summary and conclusions 47 

2 



^ 



THE MUSSEL RESOURCES OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. 



By Ernest Danglade, 
Scientific Assistant, U. S. Bureau of Fisheries. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The Bureau of Fisheries conducted a series of investigations of 
the Illinois River, principally during the summer months of the 
period extending from 1907 to 1912. The work was carried on 
chiefly with regard to the mussel fishery; the kinds, the quality and 
quantity of shells, and also the general economic conditions of the 
river were the important points under consideration. From 1907 
to 1909 the work was in chaise of Harvey L. Freeland, and during 
1912 the mussel investigation of the entire river was continued by 
the author and John A. Danglade. For several years the Illinois 
State Laboratory of Natural History, with some assistance from 
the United States Bureau of Fisheries, conducted biological and 
physical investigations of the river, under the direction of Prof. 
S. Ai Forbes. 

The principal shell-producing tributaries of the Illinois are the 
Kankakee,"^ which has been examined and reported upon; the Fox 
the report of which by John A. Eldridge accompanies this paper; 
the Spoon and the Sangamon, brief accounts of which are given in 
the body of the present report. 

The United States biological station, situated at Fairport, Iowa, 
in charge of Dr. Robert E. Coker, furnished valuable information 
and suggestions, which were of great assistance to the work. The 
table of the commercial appraisal of shells, made by the shell expert, 
given on page 11, shows the condition of shells as to luster, texture, 
and number of gross of blanks per ton, from various representative 
stations of the river. The map of the IlHnois and Fox Rivers, at 
the end of this paper, gives the principal tributaries, towns, and 
cities along the course, and shows to some extent the islands, lakes, 
sloughs, bays, etc. 

The following report of the river is intended principally for the 
benefit of those engaged in. the pearl-button industry either as manu- 
facturers or mussel fishermen, and for others interested in the de- 
velopment of the mussel resources of the country. 

a Wilson, Charles B., and Clark, H. Walton: The mussel fauna of the Kankakee Basin. U. S. Bureau 
of Fisheries Document No. 758. 1912. 

8 



4 MUSSEL RESOURCES OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. 

^ PHYSICAL CONDITIONS. 

The Illinois River is one of the most important tributaries of the 
upper Mississippi, not only on account of the volume of water it 
discharges and its excellent transportation facilities, but because of 
its extensive fisheries and large mussel resources. The Illinois, 
formed by the junction of the Kankakee and Des Plaines Rivers 
and emptying into the Mississippi at Grafton, 111., is about 273 miles 
in length. Its drainage basin comprises about 29,000 square miles 
of fine farm land in lUinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. Besides re- 
ceiving many important natural tributaries, it is the outlet of the 
Chicago Drainage Canal, having a discharge of several thousand 
cubic feet per second of water from Lake Michigan, and with an 
equivalent drainage area of 6,000 square miles. The river conse- 
quently carries an enormous amount of sewage from Chicago, as 
well as from the various cities and manufacturing plants along its 
course. 

The greater part of Illinois is covered by glacial drift of varying 
thickness, brought down from the Northeast during the ice age, and 
as a consequence many of the old river beds were filled with sand and 
gravel and the streams were forced to cut new channels, in some 
places completely changing the course for all or a part of the way. 
Such is the case with the Illinois River. In the upper part the river 
has cut its way through the Wisconsin drift down into solid rock, 
while in the lower portion, although still in its old course, it is often 
as much as 100 feet above solid rock. 

The watershed of the Illinois River extends m a broad band, averaging 100 miles 
in width, in a northeast-southwest direction directly across the center of Illinois. 
The western side of the watershed is 20 to 40 miles in width, while the width of the 
eastern side is 60 to 80 miles. From the jimction westward for 50 miles, being in a 
new course, its bed is usually on the rock.and it has an average fall of about 1 foot 
per mile, but in the remainder of its course it is in a preglacial channel and has a 
very slight fall. From the jimction to Utica, its course is independent of preglacial 
drainage lines. About midway of its westw?rd course it crosses the Marseilles moraine. 
This, no doubt, for a considerable period held a lake in the basin at the head of the 
river (the Morris Basin), but was eventually cut down to the level of the low part of 
the basin. From the Marseilles moraiae westward the channel foimd no prominent 
drift barriers to remove, but has been compelled to cut down 50 to 75 feet into the 
rock in opening an outlet from the Morris Basin into the valley of the lower Illinois. 
The lower Illinois seems to have been so imperfectly filled by glacial deposits that 
throughout nearly its entire length the stream is reestablished in the old course. The 
valley of the lower Illinois ranges in width from 2^ to fully 15 miles. The narrowest 
portions of the lower valley are a short section at Peoria, where it passes through the 
Shelbyville morainic system, and a section embracing the lower 60 miles, where it 
traverses the Eocarboniferoue and Silurian limestones." 

a Leverett, Frank: The Illinois glacial lobe. U. S. Geological Survey, mon. xxxvni. 



MUSSEL RESOUKCES OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. 5 

From its origin to Utica, a distance of about 43 miles, the river is 
a series of rock rapids and pools, and is practically destitute of mussels. 

From Utica to Meredosia, a distance of 159 miles, the river flows 
through a region of but slight fall and abounds in sloughs, bays, 
lakes, islands, and drowned timber. The principal tributaries be- 
tween these cities are the Vermilion, Mackinaw, Spoon, and Sanga- 
mon Rivers, the last-named of which produced some excellent shells 
this year. The river bottom of this stretch, with but few exceptions, 
is composed of mud or of mud and sand, which is characteristic to 
the mouth. From the mussel fisherman's point of view, the most 
important part of this section, as well as of the entire river, is Peoria 
Lake, which, by the dip-net method, has yielded many tons of good 
shells. 

From Meredosia to Grafton, a distance of 71 miles, the river flows 
almost due south and rather close to the high bluffs on the right, 
except near the mouth, where it bears to the east and to the hills on 
the left. In this stretch there are fewer sloughs, but more islands 
and bars. In the vicinity of Hardin there are many productive 
mussel beds, with a yield second only to that of Peoria Lake. 

POLLUTION OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. 

The effects of the sewage pollution of the Des Plaines River and 
the drainage canal upon the waters of the upper IlHnois have been a 
subject for much discussion both to fishermen and the cities along 
the river. The analysis and general study of the physical conditions 
in the following data and tables were made under the direction of 
Prof. S. A. Forbes during the summer of 1911 and the spring of 1912: 

During July the river between its origin and the Marseilles Dam is practically 
barren of fishes, bubbling with gases of decomposition, and full of floating organic 
matter, and the bottom is in many places deep with fou?l-smelling mud from which 
large bubbles of offensive gas escape when stirred. The character of the river changes 
greatly at this dam, black bass and carp coming up in some numbers to that point. 
During March, the organic matter of the sewage instead of being rapidly decomposed, 
with a nearly complete appropriation of the oxygen, as was the case last summer, 
is now being slowly decomposed, with a consequent gradual fall in dissolved oxygen, 
to Chillicothe, 93 miles down the river. At Morris there was 97 per cent of saturation 
in February, where last summer the average was less than 10 per cent, while at 
Chillicothe there is now 36 per cent where last summer there was an average of 44 per 
cent. Bottom conditions were similarly different. The gases of the bottom sedi- 
ments at Morris last simimer were largely methane, the product of organic decomposi- 
tion in the absence of oxygen and the odor was that of a septic tank. 

Table 1 shows the condition of the water during summer, Lake 

Michigan and the Kankakee River being high, while at the other 

places the percentage of saturation runs low. Table 2 shows the 

early spring conditions when the decomposition of organic matter 

48718°— 14 2 



6 MUSSEL EESOURCES OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. 

is very slow. Table 3 shows the percentage of carbon dioxide 
(CO2), oxygen (O), carbon monoxide (CO), methane or marsh gas 
(CH4), and nitrogen (N) of the river and from septic tanks during 
the month of September. 

Table 1. — Free Oxygen, Illinois Waters: Percentage of Saturation, July 18 

TO September 13, 1911. 



Lake Michigan 95. 5 

Kankakee River 112. 3 

Des Platnes River 13.1 

Morris 9.8 

Marseilles: 

Above dam 7. 5 

One-eighth mUe below dam 65. 4 

Three-fom-ths mile below dam 24. 8 



Starved R ock 37. 1 

Peru 37. 1 

Depue 30. 3 

Hennepin 35. 7 

ChiUicothe 43. 7 



Table 2. — Dissolved Oxygen, Illinois River. March, 1912. 



Location. 



Num- 
ber of 
samples 
taken. 



Tem- 
pera- 
ture. 



Dis- 
solved 
oxygen, 
parts per 
million. 



Per cent 
satura- 
tion. 



Miles 
from 
mouth 
Chicago 
River 
(approx.). 



Lockport: 

Des Plaines River 

Chicago Drainage Canal . 
Morris, lUtnois River: 

South shore 

North shore 

Marseilles: 

Above dam 

Below dam 

ChiUicothe 

Peoria: 

Above sewer outlet 

Below sewer outlet 

Havana 

Beardstown 

Pearl 

Grafton: 

Illinois River 

Mississippi River 



Mar. 18 
..do 



Mar. 19 
..do.... 



Mar. 21 
..do.... 
Mar. 22 

Mar. 23 
...do.... 
Mar. 25 
Mar. 26 
Mar. 27 

Mar. 28 
...do... 



C. 

2.5 

3.0 

1.5 
1.5 

.0 
.0 
.0 

.0 

.0 

2.0 

1.5 

2.0 

3.0 
3.0 



6.5 
6.3 



10.4 
9.2 



10.0 

7.2 

6.8 
6.5 
6.2 
7.7 
9.3 

9.4 
10.5 



47.5 
46.7 

73.8 
65.4 

59.8 
68.0 
49.0 

46.3 
44.2 
44.6 
54.7 
67.0 

69.7 

77.8 



35 

65 

80 
145 

165 

205 
240 

285 



Table 3. — Gases from Bottom Sediments, Illinois River, and from Septic 
Tanks of Sewage Systems, September, 1911. 



Location. 


COj. 


O2. 


CO. 


CH4. 


N2. 




Per cent. 
( 19. 45 
1 19. 31 
1 18. 12 
I ■ 21.49 
/ 16.85 
\ 18. 74 

17.98 

19.06 

/ 11.99 

\ 17.76 

19.59 
17.79 
18.53 
14.87 
.75 


Per cent. 
0.00 
.00 
.09 
.00 
.05 
.00 

.23 
.00 
.44 
.00 

.02 
.03 
.11 
.22 
.66 


Per cent. 
0.69 
.32 
.68 
.30 
.55 
.00 

.34 
.10 
.42 
.52 

.49 
.27 
.22 
.47 
.55 


Per cent. 
79.30 
79. 51 

78.97 
73.00 
82.55 
81.28 

81.26 
74.50 
61.99 
80.83 

77.69 
81.91 
77.88 
71.37 
56.44 


Percent. 

0.56 

.86 

2.14 

5.21 

.00 

.00 

.00 


Marseilles, Illinois River 


Septic: 


NapervUle 


6.34 


Henry, Illinois River. 


25.24 
.89 

2.19 


Averages: 




.00 


Septic tanks 


3.17 




13.06 


Mazon Creek.. 


41.61 







MUSSEL RESOUKCES OF THE ILLINOIS EIVER. 7 

The following table, compiled from Water-Supply Paper 239, by 
W. D. Collins,'* gives the mean of 36 mineral analyses of water from 
the Illinois, Fox, and Sangamon Rivers. The analyses were made 
from August 1, 1906, to July 31, 1907. While the Illinois River water 
is not so high in carbonates, it is higher in sulphates and chlorine than 
other waters of the State. The Fox has a high percentage of mag- 
nesium. 

Table 4. — Mineral Analyses of Water from Illinois, Fox, and Sangamon 

Rivers. 



Illinois 

River, 

La Salle. 



Illiaois 
River, 
Peoria. 



Illinois 

River, 

Kamps- 

vUle. 



Fox 
River, 
Ottawa. 



Sangamon 
River, 
Spring- 
field. 



Parts per million. 



Turbidity 

Suspended matter 

Coefficient of fineness 

SUica (Si02) 

Iron(Fe) 

Calcium (Ca) 

Magnesium (Mg) 

Sodium and potassium (Na and K) 

Carbonate radicle (COj) 

Bicarbonate radicle (HCOs) 

Sulphate radicle (SO^) 

Nitrate radicle (NO3) 

Chlorine (CI) 

Total solids 



159 


43 


188 


94 


136 


26 


145 


87 


.8 


.8 


.8 


1.2 


12 


12 


12 


11 


.21 


.21 


.27 


.20 


50 


49 


47 


60 


22 


21 


20 


32 


16 


17 


20 


14 


.0 


.0 


.0 


.0 


203 


198 


202 


275 


50 


48 


42 


61 


6.6 


7.8 


4.3 


4.9 


13 


13 


15 


7.9 


278 


271 


267 


335 



74 
39 

.8 
16 

.32 
52 
24 
16 
.0 
247 
37 
3.4 
7.5 
276 



Whether or not the great amount of sewage that is annually poured 
into the river is detrimental to the aquatic life in the lower stretches, 
the fact remains that from ChiUicothe to near the mouth, with few 
exceptions, the Illinois is indeed a wonderfully productive stream in 
fishes and mussels, and far exceeds in these resources many rivers not 
having similar physical conditions. 

THE MUSSEL INDUSTRY. 

It is of interest to note that probably the first American fresh- 
water shells taken for the purposes of button manufacture were 
derived from the Illinois River, As early as 1872 a couple of tons 
of mussel shells were collected from the river at Peoria, III., and ex- 
ported to Europe. Again from the same river, at Beards town, lU., 
in 1876, a shipment of shells was made to a New York firm for manu- 
facturing purposes. In both cases the returns were evidently insuffi- 
cient to warrant a continuation of the work, due largely no doubt to 
the want of machinery adapted to river shells, together with the 
general inappreciation of the value of the material. 



a Collins, W. D.: The quality of the surface waters of lUinoie. U. S. Geological Survey, 1910. 



8 MUSSEL KESOUECES OF THE ILLINOIS RIVEE. 

With the exception of a few pearl hunters making their test hauls 
and drifting at random along the different stretches, nothing of con- 
sequence was done in the shelling industry until the spring of 1892, 
when work began in earnest on a fairly large scale and continued all 
summer, at Meredosia. However, at the close of the season, the in- 
dustry was apparently dropped on this river and practically nothing 
was done until 1907. At that time the supply of shells was dimin- 
ishing greatly on the Wabash and some other streams, and it was 
feared that unless new territory should be found many of the shellers 
were liable to be out of employment and the button factories con- 
siderably hampered thereby. As the Illinois had been previously 
tested and proved satisfactory, the mussel fishermen from various 
localities went to that river in large numbers for shells and pearls. 
ShelUng began at once in the Beardstown district, reaching from above 
Grand Island, and as far down as Pearl, and during the next two years 
the industry extended over the greater part of the stream. The Illi- 
nois reached its maximum shell production during the season of 1909, 
when thousands of tons of good button shells were gathered and put 
in piles along the shore to await shipment. 

This river has been the most productive stream per mile of any 
in the country, and it has been reliably stated that only two or three 
years ago more than 2,600 boats were engaged in the mussel fishery 
between Peru and Grafton. It appears that the total number now 
engaged would not exceed 400, and even this number is largely main- 
tained by the new dip-net method in use at Peoria and the new field 
opened up in the lower district. For fishing to be profitable in a 
river like the Illinois, where the shells are not of the kind to command 
the highest prices, the yield must be relatively abundant. The price 
paid for the 1912 shells was from $12 to SI 3 per ton. 

A button or blank factory was established on the Illinois at Beards- 
town in 1907, and the next year a second plant was located at Mere- 
dosia. At the present time (1912) along the river there are 15 fac- 
tories with more than 250 machines, including 1 at Peoria, using 
about 4 tons of shells per week, 5 at Beardstown, 2 at Meredosia, 1 
at Naples, 5 at Pearl, and 1 at Grafton. 

Some of the earlier factories have changed hands a number of times; 
others have been dismantled and removed to other places. These 
factories are generally blank factories, sawing or cutting out the blanks 
which are sent elsewhere to be finished. The buildings are usually 
small frame structures, with inexpensive machinery. 

CHARACTER OF THE SHELLS. 

The Illinois is distinctively a washboard, blue point, and warty- 
back (Quadrula) river. The conditiou of the bottom, the current, 
and the general character of the river are well suited to the growth 



MUSSEL RESOURCES OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. 9 

and development of these species, although several other genera occur 
in small quantities. The principal commercial species (which are 
found in larger numbers than all the other kinds combined) are the 
blue point {Q. undulata), washboard {Q. Jieros), warty-back (Q. pus- 
tulosa), three-ridge {Q. plicata), pig-toe {Q. undata), and muckets 
(L. ligamentina and luteola). 

The Illinois River shells are generally perfect specimens, and 
seldom eroded at the beaks; and, for the class, the product is excep- 
tionally good button material. A peculiar feature, however, of the 
shells, particularly noticeable in the lower stretches, is their gradual 
reduction in size as we go down the river. From the upper limits of 
shell production to Beardstown, the shells are of the average size of 
similar species found in other rivers of the Mississippi Basin, but 
from Beardstown to Hardin, a distance of 70 miles, they become 
gradually smaller, thence sHghtly larger to near the mouth at Grafton. 
Even old shells taken from protected places show this character. 
What causes this condition is not very evident. It can hardly be due 
to the lesser quantity of food material coming down the river from 
the drainage canal, or to any particular change of bottom. The 
quality of these smaller shells is fully as good if not better than those 
of the upper districts. 

SCIENTIFIC AND COMMON NAMES. 

The table of scientific and common names of the shells used in this 
report and given herewith is for the convenience of those who may 
desire to use the data for comparison. The nomenclature of Simp- 
son,° with but few exceptions, is used, although many of the recent 
changes recommended by Dr. Ortmann and others will doubtless 
prove to be well founded. 

List of Common and Scientific Names. 

Common name. Scientific name. 

Purple warty-back Quadrula granifera (Lea). 

Quadrula tuberculata (Raf.). 
Niggerhead Quadrula ebena (Lea). 

Quadrula pyramidata (Lea). 

Quadrula plena (Lea). 

Quadrula eolida (Lea). 

Quadrula coccinea (Con.). 

Ohio River pig-toe Quadrula obliqua (Lam.). 

Pig-toe Quadrula trigona (Lea). 

Wabash pig-toe Quadrula rubiginosa (Lea). 

Two-homed pocketbook Quadrula pustulata (Lea). 

Warty -back Quadrula pustulosa (Lea). 

Quadrula fragosa (Con.). 

o Simpson, Charles T.: Synopsis of the Naiades, or pearly fresh-water mussels. Proceedings U. S. 
National Museum, vol. xxn, no. 1205, 1900, p. 501-1044. 



10 MUSSEL BESOUECES OF THE ILLINOIS EIVER. 

Common name. Scientific name. 

Maple-leaf, stranger Quadrula lachrymosa (Lea). 

Monkey -face Quadrula metanevra (Raf .). 

Washboard Quadrula heros (Say). 

Blue-point Quadrula undulata (Barnes). 

Three-ridge Quadrula plicata (Say). 

Bull-head Pleurobema sesopus (Green). 

Elephant ear Unio crassidens (Lea). 

Lady-finger, spike Unio gibbosus (Barnes). 

Spectacle-case Margaritana monodonta (Say). 

White heel-splitter Symphynota complanata (Barnes). 

Fluted shell Symphynota costata (Raf.). 

Rock-shell, bastard, queen Arcidens confragosus (Say). 

Anodonta corpulenta (Cooper). 
Floater Anodonta grandis (Say). 

Anodonta suborbiculata (Say). 

Anodonta imbicillis (Say). 

Squaw-foot Strophitus edentulus (Say). 

Three-homed shell Obliquaria reflexa (Raf.). 

Buck-horn, pistol-grip Tritogonia tuberculata (Barnes). 

Little pocketbook Plagiola donaciformis (Lea). 

Deer-toe Plagiola elegans (Lea). 

Butterfly Plagiola securis (Lea). 

Missouri niggerhead Obovaria ellipsis (Lea). 

Paper-shell Lampsilis Isevissima (Lea). 

Lampsilis gracilis (Barnes). 
Pink hatchet-back Lampsilis alata (Say). 

Lampsilis parva (Barnes). 

Black sand-shell Lampsilis recta (Lam.). 

Slough sand-shell Lampsilis fallaciosa (Smith). 

Yellow sand-shell Lampsilis anodontoides (Lea). 

Higgins-eye Lampsilis higginsii (Lea). 

Lampsilis orbiculata (Hildreth). 

Mucket Lampsilis ligamentina (Lam.). 

Fat mucket Lampsilis luteola (Lam.). 

Pocketbook Lampsilis capax (Green). 

Lampsilis ventricosa (Barnes). 

COMMERCIAL APPRAISAL OF QUANTITY OF SHELLS. 

The following table shows, in a general way, the number of shells 
to a given weight at four jr epresentative stations where the difference 
in size was very evident. The computation is based upon counts 
of 10 pounds of shells in each case, and the figures represent the num- 
ber of pairs of shells. At ChiUicothe the shells for the test were from 
a 65-ton pile; at Meredosia, from a 10-ton pUe; at Florence, from a 
16-ton pile; and at Hardin, from a 5- ton pile. The mixed shells 
were other commercial species taken from the same piles. The 
decrease in size between the shells from ChiUicothe and those from 
Hardin is more than 50 per cent for the washboards and three-ridges, 
and slightly more than 25 pei* cent for the blue-points. 



MUSSEL EESOURCES OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. 



11 



Table 5.— Number of Shells of Different Species in 1 Ton at Four Repre- 
sentative Stations. 



Species. 



Chilli- 
eothe. 



Mere- 
dosia. 



Florence. 



Hardin. 



Washboard ( Q. heros) 

Three-ridge ( Q. plicata) 

Blue-point (Q. undulata) . . . 
Warty-back (Q. pustulosa). 

Niggerhead (Q. ebena) 

Lady-finger (Q. gibbosus).. . 
Mixed shells 



2,000 
3,000 
6,800 



2,400 
4,800 
7,000 
14, 200 



3,400 



10,800 
12,400 



7,800 
17,200 
7,400 



4,800 
6,800 
9,200 



21,200 



The following table of the commercial appraisal of the most impor- 
tant shells found by the author between Peoria Lake and Beardstown 
was prepared by Mr. J. B. Southall, shell expert of the United States 
biological station, at Fairport, Iowa. Samples of the different species 
were weighed, and from these there were cut blanks of 16 to 30 lines 
diameter. The number of gross of blanks per ton of shells was then 
calculated. (L = line; 40 lines = an inch.) 

Table 6. — Commercial Appraisal of Illinois River Shells. 



Species. 



Locality. 



Discoloration. 



Luster. 



Texture. 



Three-ridge (Q. plicata) 

Blue point (Q. undulata) 

Fatmucket (L. luteola) 

Washboard (Q. heros) 

Pig- toe ( Q . trigona) 

Warty-back (Q. pustulosa) 

Niggerhead (Q. ebena) 

Mucket (i. ligamentina) 

Buckhorn, pistol grip (T. tuberculata) . 

Pocketbook (L. ventricosa) 

Maple-leaf, stranger (Q. lachrymosa) . . 

Higginseye {L. higginsii) 

Butterfly (P. securis) 

Slough sand shell (L.fallaciosa) 

Rock shell, bastard, queen {A. con- 
fragosa). 

Black sand shell (L. recta) 

White heel splitter (S. complanata)... 



Peoria above bridge. . . 

Peoria Lake 

Peoria above bridge. . . 

Peoria to Havana 

Peoria above bridge. . . 

do 

do 

Havana 

Beardstown 

Havana 

Peoria to Havana 

Meredosia 

Peoria to Havana 

Peoria to Beardstown. 
Havana 



A few stained . 

do 

None 

A few spots . . . 

None 

do 

do 

Pinkish 

None 

do 

do 

do 

A few spots.. . 

None 

A few spots... 



Good. 
..do.. 
...do.. 
...do.. 
..do.. 
...do.. 
...do.. 
...do.. 
...do.. 
...do.. 
...do.. 
...do.. 
...do.. 
...do.. 
Fair.. 



Peoria 

Peoria Lake. 



None. 



Good. 



2d grade. 
1st grade. 

Do. 
2d grade. 
1st grade. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 
2d grade. 
1st grade. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 
2d grade. 



3d grade. 



Species. 



Gross blanks per ton 
shells. 



16 L. 20 L. 24 L. 30 L. 



Remarks. 



Three-ridge (Q. plicata) . . 
Blue point (Q. undulata). 
Fat mucket {L. luteola).. 



Washboard (Q. heros) 

Pig-toe (Q. trigona) 

Warty-back (Q. pustulosa). 
Niggerhead (Q. ebena) 



480 



758 
851 



200 
"845' 



326 



Mucket (£. ligamentina) 

Buckhorn, pistol grip ( T .tuberculata) 

Pocketbook (i. ventricosa) 

Maple-leaf, stranger (Q. lachrymosa).. 

Higgins eye (L. higginsii) 

Butterfly"(P. securis) 

Slough sand shell {L.fallaciosa) 



Rock shell, bastard, queen {A . con- 

fragosa). 
Black sand shell (L. recta) 



634 
700 
535 



1,278 



256 
251 



White heel splitter (S. complanata) . 



Medium to large, exterior not eroded. 

Medium size, very good button shell. 

Medium to large, smooth exterior, good 
material. 

Large, inclined to be a little chalky. 

Medium to large and very thick beaks. 

Large size, very good button material. 

Large, fine luster, very fine button mate- 
rial. 

Large, one of the best button shells. 

Very good button shell. 

Large, inclined to be brittle. 

Medium size, thick at beak, thin at tips. 

Medium size, thick, good material. 

Large, heavy, good material. 

Small, good for novelties, large shells good 
button material. 

Large, heavy, fair button material. 

Some white, some purple; good for nov- 
elties. 

About 30 per cent of shell good for but- 
tons, remainder too thin. 



12 MUSSEL EESOURCES OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. 

PRICES OF SHELLS. 

The price per ton of shells has varied to a considerable extent 
during the last few years on the Illinois, and also on different parts 
of the river, as well as on different rivers of the Mississippi Basin. 
The quality of the shells, transportation facilities, and the supply and 
demand are the principal determining factors. Only the very best 
grade of sheUs could find a market in 1902 ; all others were discarded, 
being left on shore and deemed entirely worthless. During the sea- 
sons of 1907 and 1908 the price ranged from $6 to $20, according to 
quality, and tor the early season of the next year $9 was paid for all 
grades, excepting culls, but near the latter part of the year the price 
went as high as $25, which is about the maximum paid for the Illinois 
shells. The average price for 1912 was from $12 to $13 for the river 
run of marketable shells delivered on board the cars or on a barge at 
the river landmg. There are so few niggerheads and yellow sand 
shells foimd on the Illinois that it is hardly profitable to sort them 
out, excepting in the lower stretch, where the percentage of the latter 
is large enough to do so. They then command a price from $50 to $60. 

As shown by the following table taken from the United States 
Census Report for 1908, the mussel products of the Illmois River for 
that year constituted about one-sixth of the total value of the fishery 
products of this important stream; and, as stated on page 115 of the 
report, the yield ot shells and pearls of this river was nearly 40 per 
cent of the total water product of the entire State. 

Shells and pearls $139,000 

Carp 412,000 

Other fishes 309,000 

Total 860, 000 

The report also furnishes the following information concerning the 
fisheries products of the Mississippi River and tributaries, 1908: 

Shells and pearls $686,000 

Other fisheries 2, 365, 000 

Total 3,051,000 

Ratios of Illinois River to Mississippi and tributaries: 

Shells and pearls 20 per cent. 

Other fisheries 30 per cent. 

Fisheries products 28 pei cent. 

Fisheries products, Illinois River, 1899 24, 000, 000 pounds. 

Fisheries products, Illinois River, 1908 46, 000, 000 pounds. 

Increase, 92 per cent. 

The yield of one-fifth of the total amount of shells and pearls of the 
Mississippi Basin is indeed a remarkable output for one river the size 
of the Illmois. 



MUSSEL RESOURCES OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. 13 

PRINCIPAL MUSSEL BEDS. 

For convenience in dealing with the mussel fauna of the Illinois, 
the river may be divided mto three sections : 

1 . The upper river, from the origin to ChilUcothe, a distance of 93 
miles. 

2. Peoria Lake, from Chillicothe to Peoria, a distance of 20 miles, 

3. The lower river, from Peoria to Grafton, a distance of 160 miles. 
Upper river. — From its origin to Utica, a distance of about 43 

miles, the river flows over a sandstone bed covered with large blocks 
of sandstone and bowlders. The water has a very decided odor, 
though it has been stated that in the low water of summer, before 
the opening of the drainage canal, the odor was more pronounced 
and disagreeable than at present. The rocks at the water's edge are 
covered with a slimy ooze having the same odor as the water. This 
portion of the river is more directly affected by the drainage canal 
than are the lower stretches. In the process of decomposition the 
organic matter of the sewage abstracts the dissolved oxygen of the 
water and renders it unfit for aquatic life. It is practically destitute 
of mussels and forms an impassable barrier for fish, at least during 
the summer months. 

From Utica to Cliillicothe, a distance of 50 miles, the shells are 
rather scattering and but little work is carried on. Occasional camps 
have been located at three or four pomts along this stretch, but the 
output was small. The commercial shells are mostly the three-ridge 
type, washboards, warty-backs, and muckets. 

At La Salle the river is about a mile from the city. The right bank 
is low and inclined to be swampy; the left bank opposite the bridge 
is a fairly high range of drift material. The shore line on both sides 
is composed of mud with patches of sand and gravel. A peculiar 
slimy, tanky odor is noticeable at this point. No musseling is done, 
although a young man stated that last year he had done some pearling. 
According to his report, both the shells and pearls were very scarce. 

At Hennepin there is a fairly good mussel bed ; at Henry there are 
two, one above and the other below the dam; there is also a small bed 
on the right bank a quarter of a mile below the dam, but no shelling 
was being done on this bed. 

The following table represents the percentages of the commercial 
shells from a 3- ton pile at Henry: 

Per cent. 

Blue point 40 

Mucket 20 

Washboard 15 

Three-ridge 10 

Warty-back 5 

Pig-toe 5 

All others 5 

48718°— 14 3 



14 MUSSEL KESOUKCES OF THE ILLINOIS KIVER. 

The washboards are large, but badly spotted; the muckets and 
blue pouits have good luster and are good button shells. 

At the present time it is a hard day's work to get 500 pounds of 
shells, while but a few years ago a man could dig a ton per day. 

The bed above the dam has a depth of water from 10 to 20 feet 
and rather high mud banks. The current is about 2 miles per hour. 
An hour's work with bars and hooks on this bed jdelded 128 shells, 
as follows : 



Pink hatchet-back 2 

Floater 2 

Buckhorn 1 

Slough sand-shell 1 

Deer-toe 1 

Squaw-foot 1 

Lady-finger 1 

Total 128 



Blue point 60 

Mucket 25 

Three-ridge 10 

Warty-back 5 

Pig-toe 5 

Washboard 4 

Paper-shell 4 

Maple-leaf 2 

Rock-shell 2 

White heel-splitter 2 

There are a few small beds, 2 to 3 acres in extent, between Lacon 
and Chillicothe, yielding mostly washboards and three-ridges. 

Peoria Lake. — From Chillicothe to Peoria, a distance of 20 miles, 
the river broadens into a lakelike expanse, called Peoria Lake, hav- 
ing a varying width of from a few hundred yards to nearly 2 miles. 
The slow current, the large volume of water, the good average depth 
and soft mud bottom are suitable for mussel growth, and there are 
consequently many fine mussel beds and an enormous quantity of 
shells, making this at present probably one of the best mussel- 
producing districts in the United States. Although the bottom is 
covered with dead shells, there have been taken, during the latter 
part of 1911 and the season of 1912, many tons of good shells by the 
lately devised dip-net method. Just what has caused the mortality 
of so many shells at this point and elsewhere on the river is not 
known. When the dip-net is brought up and the catch is emptied 
into the boat, the shells are sorted, the dead ones being thrown back 
into the river, thus keeping the bottom continually covered with 
them. 

It is difficult to state where the mussel beds are located in Peoria 
Lake; in fact, they appear to be pretty well distributed over the entire 
bottom. Certain localities, however, are much more productive, 
while they vary to a considerable extent in abundance of species. 

At Chillicothe there was on shore a 65-ton pile of shells, taken from 
the local beds, with the following percentages: Blue points 50 per 
cent, washboards 25 per cent, mixed shells 25 per cent, the latter 
consisting mostly of three-ridges, muckets, warty-backs, pig-toes, 
slough sand-shells, and rock-shells. On the entire pile not more than 
two or three niggerheads were seen. The washboards were tolerably 



MUSSEL KESOUKCES OF THE ILLINOIS KIVER. 15 

spotted, but hardly so much as at Henry; the blue points were rather 
small and thin posteriorly. 

There is a good bed, extending from a mile above the railroad 
bridge to 300 yards below, having a width nearly that of the river. 
The current is about 2 miles per hour; the bottom clay and sand; 
the banks low on both sides, and the depth of the water 12 to 15 
feet. The following is the result of a two-bar haul over the lower 
end of this bed: 



Blue point 61 

Fat mucket 25 

Washboard 24 

Three-ridge 22 

Lady-finger 22 

Warty-back 17 

Pig-toe 17 

Mucket 12 

Three-horned shell 7 

Butterfly 3 



Black sand-shell 3 

Slough sand-shell 3 

Rock-shell 2 

Niggerhead 1 

Maple-leaf i 

Purple warty-back 1 

Elephant-ear 1 

Paper-shell 1 

Total 223 



Formerly niggerheads would average 10 to 12 per haul, but now 
only an occasional one is found. This bed does fairly well on rising 
water, yielding about 500 per day. 

Opposite and extending below Chillicothe, there is a small bed, 
100 yards by one-half mile, but it was not being worked much this 
year. During 1911 a $3,000 pearl was found at this place. 

A mile above Rome there is a good mussel bed, but as it is full of 
hang-ups, httle shelling was done. We lost our bar on the first haul 
and were compelled to abandon this place. Just below, another 
good bed, one-fourth by 1 mile, yields mostly washboards and blue 
points. 

There is also a fine little bed, 25 feet by 300 yards, 1 mile below 
Rome, but since it has scarcely been touched, it is covered with trash 
and water plants. The yield is largely blue points and three-ridges. 

At Sand Beach Bar, a mile above Spring Bay, there is a small bed, 
200 yards by one-fourth mile. The bottom is composed of soft mud, 
with some sand and many dead shells. A series of dip-net hauls 
showed but a small percentage of shells, mostly blue points and pig- 
toes. On account of the dams and the excess of water from the 
dramage canal, this bar is covered by water the entire year. On 
many low points and banks there is considerable drowned timber, 
due to the same cause. 

There is an excellent bed, one-fourth by IJ miles, at the narrows 
below Spring Bay. The bottom is soft mud, clay, and dead shells; 
depth of water 8 to 10 feet; fair current. A comparison of two hauls, 
one made with an ordinary mussel bar of 98 hooks, distance 50 
yards, and the other with an 18-inch dip net, 50-yard circle, is given 
in table 7. 



16 



MUSSEL RESOUECES OF THE ILLINOIS KIVER. 



The bar caught 136 shells of 11 species; with the dip net the result 
was 74 live shells of 18 species. The first, however, produced nearly 
twice the number of commercial shells, but it took more than twice 
the time to make the haul; also the shells had to be taken one by one 
from the hooks, while the dip net was dumped at once into the boat, 
and the trash and dead shells were thrown back. 

Mr. Oscar Nash, who assisted in the work on this bed, stated that 
in 1909 he obtained here 14 tons in 17 days and sold them for $18 
per ton. 

Table 7. — Comparison of Hauls Made with the Dip Net and the Mussel Bars. 



Species. 



Blue point 

Three-ridge a 

Warty-back 

Washboard « 

Pig-toe 

Lady finger 

Mucljet 

Fat mucket 

Three-horned shell. 
White heel splitter. 
Pink hatchet back. , 



Number of shells. 



Dip net. Bar, 



102 
15 
3 
1 
6 
2 
2 



Species 



Number of shells. 



Dip net. Bar 



Paper shell 

Rock shell 

Maple-leaf 

Black sand shell 

Deer-toe 

Anodonta imbtcillis. . 
A nodonta corpulcnta. . 
Plagiola donaciformis. 
Quadrulafrayosa 



Total - 



a The washboards and three-ridges are found mostly in the channel. 

On the Mossville Flats, just below the narrows, there were four 
camps in operation, and about 30 tons of good shells, largely blue 
points, and muckets, with fewer washboards, and some pig-toes. 
The washboards are very good and but little spotted. In this vi- 
cinity one man with a dip net can dig 1,000 to 1,200 pounds in half a 
day. It is claimed that some beds here have not been even touched. 

At the present time Peoria is a great center of shell production. 
During the mussel-fishing season men from various parts of the river 
go there fully equipped to work, as the dip net can be used advan- 
tageously and the yield is exceptionally good. There were many 
camps at Gatlin's landing and from 80 to 100 tons of shells on shore. 
A similar condition exists just above this place, at Avery ville. 
One shell buyer stated that he had purchased 600 tons at these two 
places last year and would at least equal it this season. 

The percentages of the different species of the different camps 
vary considerably according to the part of the lake fished. One 
camp of six to eight tons had the following percentages of shells: 

Per cent. 

Blue point 65 

Three-ridge 15 

Mucket 7 

Washboard 5 

Pig-toe - 3 

All others 5 



MUSSEL RESOURCES OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. 17 

The shells grouped under "All others" include white heel splitters, 
slough sand shells, etc. 

The bed just above the upper bridge at Peoria was examined. 
On account of the bottom not bemg suitable for the dip net, the 
ordinary bars were used. Thirty species were found, the percentages 
of commercial shells of which are as follows: 

Per cent. 

Blue point 50 

Three-ridge 8 

Mucket 10 

Fat mucket 10 

Washboard 10 

Pig-toe 5 

All others 7 

A day's work, including cookmg, will produce 700 pounds of shells 
from this bed. When the dip net and a good gasoline boat are used 
on favorable bottoms much better results are obtained. 

Lower river. — That part of the Illinois from Peoria to Grafton may, 
for the purposes of this discussion, be designated as the lower river, 
which is conveniently divided into two sections, the first from Peoria 
to Kampsville and the second from the latter place to the mouth. 

First section: Between Peoria and the Government Locks at 
Kampsville, a distance of 128 miles, the mussel supply is very poor 
as compared wdth the output of two or three years ago. Although 
many tons of good shells are still being taken, the river shows marks 
of depletion. 

There are five tolerably well-estabUshed beds between Peoria and 
Pekin, but they were not worked to any extent during the present 
season, probably on account of the nearness of Peoria Lake and the 
better results obtained in that region, where the dip net is used to 
good advantage. In 1910 there were 25 shellers at work on these 
beds, 10 in 1911, and but 1 or 2 in 1912. The fii'st bed below 
Peoria extends from Kickapoo Point to Wesley; the second from 
Willow Point to within one-half mile above Seven-Mile Island; the 
third from the foot of this island and extending down IJ miles; the 
fourth from the river road to within three-quarters of a mile of the 
bridge at Pekin; and the fifth from the "day mark" to the bridge at 
Pekin, a distance of one-half mile." During the early part of this 
season (1912), Mr. Lemm gathered from these beds about 10 tons of 
good shells, of which 60 per cent were blue points, 25 per cent wash- 
boards, 10 per cent three-ridges, and all others 5 per cent. The 
washboards were exceptionally good. 

Although there are several good mussel beds between Pekin and 
Havana, but Utile shelling has been done. The bottom is composed 

a Mr. Herman Lemm, of Pekin, 111. , furnished the information concerning the location of these beds. 



18 MUSSEL RESOURCES OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. 

of mud and sand, covered more or less with dead shells and trash. 
At the mouth of Mackinaw River the bottom was soft mud and prac- 
tically without mussels. The water had a very bad odor, due to 
sewage pollution. In reference to the soft-mud bottoms, Mr. Free- 
land states: "I jumped from the front end of a launch near Copperas 
Creek Locks and sank into the mud almost to my hips. At the mouth 
of Old Crow Creek at Chillicothe, at the mouth of the Mackinaw River 
below Pekin, above Copperas Creek Locks and Dam at Liverpool, and 
in the narrow reach between Liverpool and Havana tliis condition 
exists, not only near the shore, but all the way across the river. At 
Liverpool the weight on the sounding line sank into the mud at the 
middle of the river when attempts were made to ascertain water 
depths." The percentages of shells of this stretch are about as 
follows : 

Per cent. 

Blue point and three-ridge 36 

Warty-back 30 

Washboard 5 

Mucket 4 

Others 8 

Noncommercial 17 

At Havana there were five or six camps with about 30 tons of good 
shells, which were taken mostly from the beds below the city where 
the washboards predominate. The percentages of shells are about 
as follows : 

Per cent. 

Washboard 50 

Blue point 45 

Others 5 

The mixed shells were the black sand shells (some of wliich had a 
white nacre, others being deeply colored), yellow sand shells, warty- 
backs, pig-toes, buckhorns, rock shells, higgins eyes, deer-toes, and 
pocketbooks. 

In company with Mr. Henry C. Allen we examined the beds in the 
vicinity of Havana with the dip net. Above the mouth of Spoon 
River a small bed 2 to 3 acres in extent is fairly productive. The 
bottom is mud, there is a 2-mile current, and the depth of the water 
is 8 feet. Several hauls were made, showing 75 per cent of blue points 
and 17 per cent of noncommercial shells. There were also many dead 
shells. 

Another bed, with the same bottom conditions, but with many 
more dead shells — especially noticeable in the older washboards — and 
thousands of live snails, is located at the head of Cooks Island. The 
percentage of this bed is: Blue points, 35; three-ridges, 24; warty- 
backs, 12; rock shells, 8; maple leaves, 7; slough sand shells, 7; wash- 
boards, 4; and others, 3. 



MUSSEL EESOURCES OF THE iLLIiSTOIS RIVER. 19 

The bed at the mouth of Quiver Lake showed that fully 90 per cent 
of the shells were dead. The only hve ones found were of the three- 
ridge type and small washboards, 2 to 2^ inches in length. It is diffi- 
cult to state J ust what has killed the shells at this point, although' the 
young washboards, 2 to 3 years old, were strong and vigorous, indi- 
cating that more favorable conditions exist at present. The east 
shore, especially on the lower course of the lake, is sandy, and on dig- 
ging a few inches into the sand clear, cold water was found, coming 
from the uplands. The west shore is low, and since the building of 
the drainage canal all kinds of timber on overflowed lands — acres upon 
acres — have been killed, due to liigh water the entire year. • 

A small bed of the three-ridge and floater types extends from Cooks 
Island to the railroad piers. The depth of the water is 8 to 20 feet 
and there is a fair current. This bed, especially on the lower end, has 
a very poor output. 

Formerly the mussel beds in the vicinity of Bath were perhaps the 
most productive ones of the entire river. Hundreds of tons of good 
shells were gathered and shipped from there. The industry, however, 
has dwindled to such an extent that at the present time there are 
only six camps in operation, with about 50 tons on shore. 

The beds above Grand Island, though fairly productive, could be 
restored to a considerable extent by propagation.- The bottom is of 
hard mud, the current is fair, and the shores are low mud banks 
covered more or less with timber. In testing these beds, as well as 
those down the right chute of the island, two bars of 90 hooks each, 
were used. These beds gave the following percentages of shells: 

Per cent. 

Warty-back 31 

Blue point 19 

Maple-leaf 10 

Washboard 9 

Others 17 

Noncommercial - 14 

In the right chute, the conditions are somewhat better, though 
there are more trash, hang-ups, and dead shells. About halfway 
down, the bottom for a short distance is mostly sand and as a con- 
sequence the epidermis of the shells is inclined to be yellowish. A 
washboard, conspicuous by having a pronounced ridge and valley 
running diagonally from the umbone toward the posterior end was 
taken in one of these hauls. On opening the shell, the mantle at the 
tip contained a 10-grain hightop pearl of good luster, but badly 
discolored on the base. These beds had warty-backs, 38 per cent; 
blue point, 16 per cent; washboards, 11 per cent; other commercial 
shells, 15 per cent; and noncommercial shells, 20 per cent. 



20 MUSSEL RESOURCES OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. 

Matanzas Bay, above Bath, is being worked with dip nets. Ninety 
per cent of the commercial shells are blue-points. There are, how- 
ever, many paper-shells and Anodontas, and many dead shells. 

The beds at Beardstown have been extensively worked, and though 
fairly productive, 500 pounds of shells per day of 10 hours' labor with 
a gasohne boat is considered a good catch. Fifteen to twenty boats 
were working there, and the five button factories use the shells of the 
locahty. Although the output is not good, there are three reasons 
why these beds are being so heavily worked, namely, the fair amount 
of pearl finds, the nearness to home, and the ready market. 

An estimation of percentages from a 25-ton pile of freshly dug 
shells shows washboards, 35 per cent; blue-points, 24 per cent; warty- 
backs, 18 per cent; three-ridges, 8 per cent; all others, 15 per cent. 
Though smaller than the same species above Beardstown, the wash- 
boards are exceptionally good in this pile. 

A series of test hauls of 200 yards each were made with the mussel 
bar on the 5-mile bed at Beardstown, beginning above the railroad 
bridge and extending 1 mile below. Tlie bottom is sand and mud; 
the depth in channel, 10 to 20 feet; there is a 2-mile current, and the 
banks are low. This bed has washboards, 25 per cent; warty-backs, 
19 per cent; blue-points, 11 per cent; pig-toes, 10 per cent; others, 
12 per cent; and noncommercial shells, 23 per cent. 

On the right bank below the bridge the washboards are more abun- 
dant, but, owing to so many snags and hang-ups, it is deemed inadvis- 
able to work at that point. The niggerheads are scarce, though they 
are reported to have been plentiful some years ago. The spikes or 
lady-fingers are abundant. The washboards are but Httle spotted 
and are good button shells. 

In the bay above Beardstown the washboards are more spotted 
and not so desirable for commercial purposes. 

Three miles above La Grange Locks there is a small bed, one-half 
mile in length and practically as wide as the river, excepting in the 
channel. The river conditions are as follows: Current, 1 mile; 8 to 
12 feet deep; mud bottom. On this bed the washboards are nearer 
to the shore, while the smaller shells are farther out. This and the 
two beds just below yield about 200 pounds per day, with bar. Very 
few pearls and slugs are found. The percentages of commercial 
species of these beds were determined from camps situated 3, 2, 
and 1 miles respectively, above the locks: washboards, 50 per 
cent; blue points, 20 per cent; three- ridges, 10 per cent; warty- 
backs, 10 per cent; and others, 10 per cent. The washboards are very 
good. 

A bed beginning a little below the locks and extending to Meredosia, 
although fairly productive, was being fished but very little. The 
shells are pretty well distributed, except in the channel. The river 



MUSSEL RESOUKCES OF THE ILLINOIS EIVER. 21 

conditions at this point are: Slow current; 8 to 15 feet deep; and 
bottom of clay, mud, and sand. The pocketbooks, pig-toes, and 
purple warty-backs were somewhat more abundant than in the pre- 
ceding beds. It was stated that some years ago the niggerheads, 
yellow sand shells, and muckets were plentiful. There is a large 
percentage of lady-fingers, which when caught are generally thrown 
back into the river. 

At Meredosia the mussel fishermen were discouraged and stated 
that "the river is playing out." Several camps were considering 
the advisabiKty of moving to more favorable localities, either on the 
Illinois or Mississippi. Although the output — 200 to 300 pounds of 
shells per day — was small, the number of good pearl finds afforded 
considerable stimulation to the work. During 1909 there were 200 
men at work between Meredosia and Naples, and thc}^ gathered 100 
carloads, the price being S25 a ton,*^ while in 1912 there were but 25 
to 35 men gathering 15 carloads at $13 per ton. There were about 
400 tons in the hands of the buyers and 250 tons at the two button 
factories. In this stretch of the river the niggerheads and muckets 
are scarce, but there is an abundance of lady-fingers. The wash- 
boards here, being clear of spots, are the best button material, and 
the next best are the blue points and warty-backs. The few nigger- 
heads found are thin. 

'At VaUey City there were 10 to 12 men working on the local beds, 
the output not exceeding 300 pounds. It was stated that there 
were many boats employed here last summer. There is a small 
bed, 300 to 400 yards long, situated on the left bank, one-eighth 
mile above the railroad bridge. This bed is covered more or less 
with trash and hang-ups, thereby making it remarkably interesting, 
in that it is practically in its native state. It contains 18 species of 
commercial shells, including a fair percentage of niggerheads, pocket- 
books, and muckets. 

Although early in the season, 40 men were fishing on the mussel 
beds in the vicinity of Florence, while but 9 were engaged in July. 
Forty tons of 1912 shells had already been shipped and half that 
amount were on shore. The following percentages were determined 
from a number of hauls made at Florence, two bars of 100 hooks each 
being used; the bottom, sand and mud with brush and dead shells. 

Per cent. 

Blue poiat - 24 

Washboard 20 

Warty-back 18 

Pig-toe 9 

Others - 21 

Noncommercial 8 

1 Kappel Bros., Meredosia, 111. 
48718°— 14 4 



22 MUSSEL KESOURCES OF THE ILLINOIS EIVER. 

Only one each of elephant-ear and squaw-foot were found; the 
lady-fingers were smaller and much less abundant than at Meredosia 
and Valley City. This bed will yield 200 to 300 pounds per day per 
man. 

There are good beds on both sides of the river practically all the 
way from Florence to Montezuma. At the latter place, 12 tons of 
shells had been shipped this year, and 5 tons remained on shore. 
There were two to four men working on the mussel beds, getting 200 
to 300 pounds per day. It was stated that two years ago there were 
30 to 40 boats in operation, and 200 tons were shipped. The per- 
centages of the shells are about as at Florence. 

From Bedford 15 to 20 tons had been shipped by the middle of 
July and 8 tons were on shore. There were 10 boats at work, the 
yield being 300 to 400 pounds. The shells are the usual run, how- 
ever, some beds have as much as 5 per cent of muckets, while on 
others the lady-fingers appear to be associated with the washboards. 

A few years ago Pearl, like Bath, was a great mussel center. 
Then there were 300 to 400 men working on the bed, beginning 
near Bedford and extending in zigzag lines for 15 miles down the 
channel of the river. At the present time (1912) there are 30 men 
engaged in the mussel fishery, and they have gathered 10 to 12 
carloads of good commercial shells; but the conditions have so 
changed and the outlook is so unfavorable that some of the locdl 
button factories are anxious for new territory. 

Near shore, in the left chute at the foot of Spar Island, 3 miles 
below Pearl, there is a good productive bed yielding mostly rather 
large washboards, a fair percentage of blue points, and a few muck- 
ets. This bed has a mud bottom somewhat covered with trash, 
and is best worked by wading and diving. Near the shore line 
fully 75 per cent of the shells were slough sand shells, burrowed in 
the mud and standing on end. 

The camps at Gravel Point, Webbs Landing, and Woods Creek 
Landing had 15 boats in operation, with an output of 30 tons. The 
shells in this stretch are of the usual run, though there is a smaller 
percentage of culls, such as lady-fingers and paper shells. The 
washboards are exceptionally good. 



MUSSEL KESOUECES OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. 



23 



Table 8. 



-Percentages of Different Species of Mussels at Six Stations in the 
Lower Stretches of the River. 



Species. 



Above 
Grand 
Island. 


Right 
Chute, 
Grand. 
Island. 


Beards- 
town. 


1 


X 


X 


1 


1 


X 


•1 


3 


10 


31 


38 


19 


10 


2 


3 


9 


11 


25 


19 


IG 


11 


4 


4 


4 


5 


15 


20 


4 


2 


1 


X 


1 


1 


1 


2 


X 


X 


X 


X 


5 


1 


1 


X 


X 


X 


5 


3 


4 



Flor- 
ence. 



Har- 
din. 



Graf- 
ton. 



Niggerhead 

Ohio River pig-toe 

Pig-toe 

Warty-back 

Maple-leaf. 

Washboard 

Blue-point 

Three-ridge 

Ladv-finger 

Tliree-horned shell 

Buck-horn 

Deer-toe 

Butterfly 

Paper shell 

Yellow sand shell . 
Other shells 



Note. — X represents less than 1 per cent. 

Second section: From Kampsville to the mouth of the Illinois at 
Grafton, a distance of 32 miles, the mussel conditions are much 
better, and the river is yielding greater quantities of shells than 
any other portion except the Peoria Lake region. There were about 
150 boats at work in this stretch, wdth a daily yield of 500 to 700 
pounds of shells per man. 

Except in the last few miles of the lower course, the river bears 
closely to the right of the watershed and to the high bluffs and 
w^ooded hills, and consequently becomes very picturesque in appear- 
ance. 

Above the Government locks at Kampsville 10 men were engaged 
in mussel fishing, each obtaining 300 to 500 pounds per day. There 
were 30 tons on shore. The last bed above the locks extends almost 
to the dam and is more productive on the low^er end, probably due 
to the fact that but little work had been done there on account of 
the danger. The beds produce washboards, 45 per cent; blue points, 
21 per cent; warty-backs, 20 per cent; while just below the dam the 
yield is not so large, yet the pearl finds will probably more than 
make up the difference. 

Below the Kampsville locks (the last in the river) the water is 
swifter, and the stream is in its natural condition. The shells are 
about the same as above, but near the dam there are more pocket- 
books (L. ventricosa and capax) and fat muckets. Some beds also 
have a large percentage of lady-fingers. On July 3 a sheller working 
the bed below the locks unguardedly ran his boat into the falls of 
the dam and was drowned. 

From Willow Island to the foot of Hurricane Island there were 
30 boats in operation, and very good results were obtained. Both 
sides of the latter island have good productive beds; the catch, 



24 MUSSEL EESOURCES OF THE ILLINOIS KIVEK. 

especially in the channel, is: Washboards, 75 per cent; blue points, 
10 per cent; and warty-backs, 10 per cent. A good 32-grain pearl 
was found in this stretch during the summer. 

There were four camps and 26 tons of shells on shore in the dark 
or right chute of Diamond Island. This chute is deep, narrow, and 
has a number of hang-ups. No sheUing is done here on Mondays 
on account of the large steamboat which makes a round trip then 
from St. Louis to Kampsville. In going through this chute the steam- 
boat makes such large and dangerous waves that no smaU craft there 
could keep from sinking. Twenty-eight species in all were taken 
here, including the only spectacle-case {M. monodonta) taken during 
the entire trip. The shells are largely washboards of excellent 
quaUty, and but few lady-fingers. The bed affords 400 to 600 
pounds per day per man. The left or light chute is much shallower 
and the beds have a good yield of commercial shells. 

At HarcUn there were from 60 to 100 gasohne boats at work on the 
mussel beds, the yield being from 400 to 700 pounds of good quahty 
shells. Probably by the latter part of July as many as 1,000 tons 
had been shipped from there, about one-third of the amount going to 
Canadian factories. It appears that Hardin would be an excellent 
location for a button factory, the raw material being so abundant 
and near at hand. A number of good pearls were found this year, 
the most valuable one seUing for $750. 

A series of test hauls were made, beginning at the foot of Diamond 
Island and extending to Hardin. The mussel bar and crow-foot 
hooks were used. From this bed 34 species were taken, also a 
number of dead shells. The percentage was: 

Washboard 23 

Blue-poiiit 20 

Warty-back 13 

Three ridgo 11 

Niggeriiead 4 

Pig-toe 2 

Others 13 

Noncommercial 14 

In that part of the Illinois from 'Hardin to Grafton at the mouth, 
a distance of 20 miles, there are practically no places for accommo- 
dations in the way of lodging, and it was necessary to make the survey 
of the interesting district in one continuous run, from early morning 
until late at night. There are a number of good and productive 
mussel beds in this region, with the exception of the last few miles 
of the river. 

In the left chute of Mortland Island the yield of shells is 400 to 600 
pounds per man per day. There are 12 to 15 camps within 2 miles of 
each other, and 90 to 100 tons have been taken this year. The 
shells are of the usual run of those found in this stretch, though the 



MUSSEL RESOUECES OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. 25 

washboards are very small and there are fewer culls, such as lady- 
fingers. 

At Twelve-mile Island there were four camps in operation, two on 
each side of the island, the average daily yield being from 400 to 600 
pounds per man. Early in the season the upper camp of the right 
chute took 1,200 to 1,800 pounds per day, which was very good work 
indeed with the mussel bar and crow-foot hooks. The lower camps, 
during the earlier part of the season were overflowed, and work 
accordingly could not be carried on; however, when the conditions 
became more favorable, two men gathered 30 tons of good market- 
able shells in eight weeks. The mussel beds in the vicinity of this 
island produce about 65 per cent of washboards, 20 per cent of the 
three-ridge type, a very small percentage of niggerheads, and a 
sufficient quantity of yellow sand-sheUs to be sorted out and sold 
separately at an advanced price of from $50 to $60 per ton. The 
lady-fingers and other noncommercial shells are not very plentiful 
in this district. 

In the last productive stretch of the river there are 10 to 15 mussel 
camps in operation, the daily output being 500 to 600 pounds, which 
is somewhat less than the immediate shelling districts above. The 
shells of the three-ridge type are more abundant, though there are 
fewer wartj^-backs; the washboards have again become a trifle larger 
than at Hardin, but they are not quite so good from a commercial 
standpoint, as they are incHned to be spotted. 

As a comparison of the IlHnois River product with that of the 
Mississippi, the percentages given in the brief table below were made 
from a 2-ton pile of recently gathered shells taken in the Mississippi 
at Grafton, just below the mouth of the IlUnois. It wifl be observed 
that the niggerheads are relatively abundant and that there is a fair 
amount of yellow sand-shells. 

Per cent, 

Niggerhead 32 

Blue point. ; 20 

Washboard 15 

Yellow sand-shell 7 

Warty -back 3 

Butterfly 3 

Maple-leaf -. 3 

Others, including culls, etc 17 

Tributaries. — The tributaries of the Ilfinois, as a rule, produce a 
superior grade of shefls and a larger per cent of pearls and slugs than 
the main stream. A serious disadvantage, however, of the smaller 
rivers is that, especially during the low water of summer, the mussel 
beds a,re liable to be almost completely depleted by waders, either 
pearlers or shellers. 

Spoon River. — No extended investigations were conducted on the 
Spoon River during the present survey; however, a short trip was 



26 MUSSEL EESOUECES OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. 

made in the lower stretches, which did not reveal very satisfactory 
conditions for mussel beds. The banks are composed of drift or mud, 
and the low bottoms are subject to overflow in times of high water. 
The river is very crooked, with numerous large bends and a consider- 
able number of cuts and corresponding fills and bars on the opposite 
side. It is practically a depleted stream, as relates to the mussel 
fishery, though the upper portions are more favorable for mussel 
beds, and it is a question whether it would be profitable to restock 
it or carry on propagation work to any extent, as it is so readily ex- 
hausted in a season or two by pearl hunters and others. 

There have been recorded, 20 years ago, from the Spoon River, 
about 38 species of the Unionidse." The commercial species listed 
in the general table of species on page 37 were from a pearl hunter's 
pile of shells taken from the upper river during the present season. 
The shells were excellent in quality, and large in comparison with 
those of the Illinois. Some of the washboards {Q. Tieros) were so 
large that they would hardly fit into an ordinary hat. 

Sangamon River. — The Sangamon River is about 170 miles in length 
and has a drainage basin of 5,670 square miles, which is the largest 
of the tributaries. The lower stretch, formerly very winding and 
overflowing the lowlands, has been straightened by means of a ditch. 

The general conditions of this river, with its many favorable places 
for beds, are good for mussel development, and the propagation of the 
better species could be easily carried on and the river made to yield 
a reasonable annual return, provided it were judiciously fished. A 
station was made near Springfield, 111., and the commercial shells 
found there are listed on page 37. The shells are of a better grade 
than those of the main stream, and the muckets, niggerheads, and 
buckhorns are more abundant. About 100 tons of good shells have 
been gathered this year, Avith a daily output of 400 to 500 pounds. 
A number of fine pearls and slugs were found, and all were generally 
of a rather good grade. The river appears to be fairly well cleaned 
out. 

DEAD MUSSEL BEDS. 

At several places on the Illinois, more particularly noticeable 
in the lower stretches, there are evidences here and there of old 
covered-up mussel beds which he several feet below the surface. 
The keeper of the Government locks at La Grange stated that at the 
time of building the locks, when extensive excavation was done, a 
dead mussel bed of some extent and thickness was encountered at a 
short distance below the present surface, and that the shells were lying 
in their natural position. 

a Strode, W. S. , M. D.: The Unionidae of Spoon River, Fulton County, 111. The American Naturalist, 
vol. XXVI, 1392, p. 495-501. 



MUSSEL RESOUKCES OP THE ILLINOIS EIVER, 



27 



Near the head of Diamond Island, situated about 2 miles above 
Hardin, there is exposed at low stages of the river along the shore 
line from below the water's edge to a foot above, an extensive bed of 
dead shells, as shown at A in figure 1. A similar condition exists 
further down the river on the right bank, as shown at B in figure 1. 
This is probably a continuation of the same bed. Below Hardin two 
additional beds are exposed where the current has undermined and 
cut away the banks — one bed at the head of Mortland Island ex- 
tending irregularly down the left chute of the island for half a mile, 
and the other at the head of Twelve-mile Island. 

Here, no doubt, is a situation of the destruction of large mussel 
beds in comparatively recent times b}'- means of a silting or filling in 




Fig. 1. 

process of mud and sand. The mussels evidently could not keep pace 
with the settlings, as the deposit was rapidly forming, and were suffo- 
cated. The shells appear to be of the same species found in the river 
at those places, and are very fragile and limy white in color. 

METHODS OF THE ILLINOIS MUSSEL FISHERY. 

The mussel fishermen of the Illinois are, as a rule, practical river- 
men who are familiar with the conditions of the river, the general 
habits of the fishes and mussels, and the methods of taking them, 
although considerable misinformation is in evidence, as, for example, 
the structure of the mussel, methods of reproduction, the names of 
the shells, the character of pearls, etc. Mr. Freeland states that the 
men who were first attracted to the mussel fishery of this stream 
were largely an indolent lot, who expected to find an easy fortune 



28 MUSSEL KESOUECES OF THE ILLINOIS EIVER. 

in pearls, and in their haste to do so, generally discarded the shells 
as worthless, or at best only of secondary importance. During the 
summer of 1907 only two men were found who said that shells and 
not pearls were the chief object of their work. When the mussel 
industry reached a firm commercial basis, however, this type of men 
practically vanished, and was replaced by the regular fishermen, 
farmers who work at mussel fishing during dull seasons on the farm, 
the professional mussel fishermen, and by others who were attracted 
to the river for pleasure and profit during a summer's outing. Tlie 
mussel fishermen, when at a distance from home, often live in tents 
or in rudely constructed houses situated at favorable places along 
the shore, and at times in substantial house-boats, which afford them 
shelter as well as an economical means of moving their outfit from 
place to place as the season changes or their inclmation prompts. 

Almost all of the shellers have gasoline boats with which to carry 
on their work. There are two types of boats in use — the launch, of 
which there are a variety of designs, and the John boat; the latter is 
very popular, as it is comparatively cheap, easily made, affords 
plenty of room, and is perhaps better adapted for handling the nec- 
essary appliances. It has a broad flat bottom, square ends, long 
rakes, especially forward, and is from 14 to 18 feet long. Tlie gaso- 
line engines are from 2 to 20 horsepower. The advantages of a 
power boat over the rowboat are very apparent, namely, the greater 
distance possible to travel in a day, the readiness with which the 
camps can be moved from one locality to another, and the greater 
quantity of shells taken. 

Crow-foot bar. — The ordinary mussel bar or brail with crow-foot 
hooks, common on most of the commercial rivers, is the principal 
apparatus used on the lower two-thirds of the Illinois. The bar 
is usually of iron, from 12 to 16 feet in length, and from three- 
fourths to 1 inch in diameter. The strings carrying the hooks are 
placed 4 inches apart. Tliere are two types of mules, or under- 
water sails, as they are sometimes called, the common solid frame 
type and the roll mule. The latter is generally used on this river, 
and has some advantages over the other, in that it can be rolled up 
and put out of the way when not needed, or used as a tent for pro- 
tection against unfavorable weather, and it is claimed that it is better 
adapted to change the angle of the boat when desirmg to cross the 
mussel bed diagonally or to avoid a known hang-up. On some parts 
of the river scissor forks or tongs are employed with fair success 
during part of the year, usually in low water. At those places where 
it is impossible to use any appliance on account of snags and other 
obstructions, and where the water is not too deep, the shells are often 
taken by wading or diving, but owing to the necessary exposure this 
method is not very popular with the mussel fishermen. 



MUSSEL RESOURCES OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER, 29 

Dip net. — Since the time that the mussel fishery began on this river, 
it was known that Peoria Lake contained Large beds of good com- 
mercial shells, but until 1911 no very successful method of taldng 
them had been devised, scissor forks, oyster tongs, rakes, and the 
ordinary mussel bar with crow-foot hooks proving unsatisfactory. 
The dip net was introduced during the spring of that year and is now 
used there almost exclusively, as it is simple in construction, inexpen- 
sive, and especially suited to soft mud bottoms free from logs and 
hang-ups, and where there is but little or no current. Like the mussel 
bar, it gathers nearly everything in its path on the river bottom and 
even some little distance below. Besides the live and dead shells, and 
always plenty of mud, there are found at times in the net as the result 
of a haul some one or more of the following articles : Bottles, cinders, 
lanterns, old shoes and rubbers, folding anchors, spectacles, shotguns, 
pieces of musical instruments, shovels, watches and rings, jugs of 
gasoUne, monkey wrenches, waterworks keys, tin cans, corncobs, 
snags, etc. 

It is not known who invented this valuable apparatus, but probably 
the idea developed from the fish dip net, which it resembles, by gradu- 
ally changing its form to the substantial tool now employed. There 
appear to be no two dip nets alike, as the blacksmiths make them 
according to orders and the material at hand. However, the various 
designs and patterns are very similar, the main difference being in 
size. The method of operation is the same for all of them. In a 
general way the dip net consists of a heavy, flatfish iron hoop of one 
piece, bent somewhat triangular in form, with two of its sides curved 
outward and fastened firmly with bolts to a pole or handle 16 to 20 
feet long. The third side or bottom is straight and from 18 to 36 
inches in length, and is usually provided with coarse teeth along its 
edge, which is bent downward. A net of 2-inch mesh, made of small 
chain or no. 96 trot line with a capacity of a bushel or more, is fastened 
to the hoop by means of chain links and trails behind it. A short 
rope or bridle attached to the two curved sides of the hoop leads to a 
single rope secured to the bow of the boat. When the water is rather 
deep, the boats are fitted with a boom pole extending forward from 
the bow, and the rope from the bridle is fastened to its end, thus 
giving greater length of rope and convenience of manipulation. 
Driven by a gasoline engine of from 4 to 20 horsepower, according to 
the size and weight of the dip net, the boat draws the apparatus 
through the water along the bottom. The greater the power, of 
course, the better the results. The operator stands in the stern of 
the boat and steers with his foot or leg, and at the same time puts 
the net into the water, usually at his right side and bears down 
heavily on the handle. The teeth on the lower edge of the hoop dig 
up the mussels which roll into the net. Unless the appliance be 



30 



MUSSEL EESOURCES OF THE ILLINOIS EIVER. 



placed at the stern and in the direct Hne of travel, there is a retarda- 
tion on one side only, and the boat consequently makes a large circle 
over the mussel beds. When the tool is raised after making a haul, 
the mud and small shells are washed out by dipping the net a number 
of times into the river; the contents are then dumped into the bottom 
of the boat, to be sorted out, the trash and dead shells being thrown 
overboard. The partner usually attends to this matter as well as 




Fig. 2. 



looking after the engine. By this method of mussel fishing, two men 
or a man and a boy can easily dig in a good locality 1,500 to 1,800 
pounds of shells in half a day. 



LEGISLATION. 



The legislature of Illinois has recently enacted a law looking toward 
the protection of mussels and the mussel fishery of the State. A 
closed season has been estabhshed for the navigable waters, extending 
from October 1 to April 1, inclusive. The boats are to be equipped 
with not more than two bars, which shall not exceed 16 feet in length, 



MUSSEL RESOURCES OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. 31 

the hooks thereon to be at least 4 inches apart. Nonresidents must 
have a license costing S50 for each boat. 

In view of the threatened depletion of the mussel beds on the Illi- 
nois, it has been suggested by mussel fishermen and others interested 
in the industry that there should be a closed season on aU the mussel- 
bearing rivers or parts thereof, extending over a period of three to five 
years; the rivers or the parts to be so arranged in series that some 
(sufficient to maintain the button industry) would be left open during 
the ordinary sheUing season. It may be that this view would prove 
satisfactory, provided there was a uniformity of laws in the various 
States, or that the mussel fishing was under Federal control. 

THE PEARLS OF THE ILLINOIS. 

Very little pearling was done on the lUinois previous to 1892, 
although some years before this date occasional pearl hunters made 
frequent trips and extended investigations from time to time over the 
greater part of the river. During the earlier period pearls alone were 
the object of the search, there being no particular demand for the 
shells, and, besides, the pearler of that day had neither time nor in- 
clination to save them; they were left after examination, usually in 
small piles along the shore as a waste product. If a locality in which 
he was working did not show immediate results he would move far- 
ther along, always hoping and expecting to find a mussel bed which 
would produce a pearl of considerable value, thus amply repaying 
him for his time and outfit. The pearl hunters are indeed the pioneers 
of the mussel industry, and in their extensive search for the elusive 
gems they have usually found not only the best mussel streams of the 
country but the best beds and the most productive portions of the 
rivers as well. 

At the present time it might be said that the pearls and slugs are 
of secondary consideration and when found are regarded by the mus- 
sel fishermen as so much clear profit. The sale of slugs is generally 
sufficient to meet the actual running expenses of the camp and a 
pearl is considered as so much extra. 

Beardstown, 111., is a center for pearl buyers, and during the sheU- 
ing season buyers are there from Paris, New York, and other places, 
besides the local dealers. One man claimed to have bought $20,000 
worth of pearls and slugs along this river in 20 days.® 

No particular work was done during the present survey toward the 
study of the origin of pearls; however, a number of distomids and 
cyst-forming parasites were observed in the meats of the mussels. 
Tlie lUinois is a good river on which to carry on scientific pearl inves- 
tigations, as it is rich in pearl mussels and affords many retired places 

a The writer is indebted to Messrs. J. H. Carner and Otto H. Fischer, of Beardstown, who furnished 
much information concerning the pearls and slug-5 of Illinois. 



32 MUSSEL RESOURCES OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. 

and favorable mussel beds especially suited to pearl study. Among 
the most interesting localities for observing pearl formation and de- 
velopment may be mentioned Peoria Lake, Havana, Bath, Beards- 
town, Meredosia, Pearl, and Hardin, at which places, as well as at 
many others, excellent pearls have been found, and no doubt there are 
many more there yet to be taken. 

FINDING THE PEARLS. 

The cooking-out process of the mussels is an interesting and 
important part of the work in the camps along the Illuiois. The 
mussels are steamed for 15 or 20 minutes in a crudely constructed 
vat, until the shells have opened and the meats may be readily taken 
out. Shells and meats are then transferred from the cooker to the 
sorting table, and the parts there separated, the meats being put 
aside tem]:)orarily and the shells thrown into a near-by bin. The 
meats are then carefully examined one by one — a very tedious process, 
but well worth the trouble. 

The slugs and other minor nacreous pieces when found are dropped 
into a glass of water on the sorting table and are afterwards cleaned, 
usually with soap or soap powder. A pearl, however, being much 
more valuable, receives an entirely different treatment in that it is 
"tempered" by being placed in the mouth for a while, then wrapped 
loosely in cotton, and put in a small tin box or other receptacle for 
safe-keeping. The pearlers and pearl buyers believe that this method 
of treating the gems prevents cracking. 

"Does the boiling or cooking-out process of mussels injure the 
contained pearl ? " is a question that is often asked and one that has 
led to considerable discussion. From personal observations and 
from the statements of mussel fishermen and pearl buyers it appears 
that moderate cooking or steaming of the mussels does not injure 
the pearls at all, provided they do not fall out of the shells or become 
disengaged from the meats and thus reach the bottom of the cooker 
and get scorched. Some mussel fishermen who have had practical 
experience along this line of work maintain that moderate cooking is 
beneficial rather than detrimental, inasmuch as the process "cures" 
the organic matter of the pearl and renders it less liable to crack or 
otherwise to deteriorate. However that may be, it is very evident 
that by far the greater percentage of the pearls and slugs are found 
after the mussels have been cooked, the exception being for those 
shells which show distortion or some other peculiarity, when they 
are generally opened with a knife as soon as found. 



MUSSEL RESOURCES OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. 33 

CLASSIFICATION OF PEARLS. 

There appears to be no definite standard or classification for the 
abnost unlimited variety of shapes and kinds of pearls and slugs, 
and even on the different parts of the same river the irregular nacreous 
formations are variously named by the pearlers and buyers, according 
as fancy directs or to the resemblance to some familiar object. At 
times the classification is made under three heads — pearls, baroques, 
and slugs, each class with a number of subdivisions depending for 
names upon the particular shape of the pieces; and at other timas 
there are but two heads — pearls and slugs. The following are the 
names and classifications generally used on the Illinois and includes 
most of the different kinds of pearls found there: 

Pearls: 

Ball or round pearls are those which are spherical in shape . 

Pear pearls, including the drop, the egg, and the top pearls, depend for the name 

upon the resemblance in shape to a pear, egg, or top. 
Button pearls, shaped somewhat like a button, biscuit, or saucer, have a more 

or less arched top and a flattish bottom. 
Capsule pearls have a shape bearing a resemblance to a cylindrical medicine 

capsule such as is used for quinine. 
Banded pearls are oblong in shape, with ridges and grooves around the middle 

portion which have the appearance of bands. 
Cone pearls have a flattish bottom with the sides of the pearl running to an appex 

like a cone.- 
Baroque pearls include a great variety of forms which are irregular in shape with- 
out any particular pattern. 
Rosebud pearls are of various shapes, usually having a flattish base; the upper 

portion is more or less covered with small protuberances, giving it at times a 

somewhat warty appearance. 
Turtle-back pearls have a rather flat base and a low arched top, resembling some- 
what the back of a turtle. 
Besides these forms, there may be mentioned the dumb-bell, the cylinder, the 

twin pearls, etc., which are occasionally found. 
Slugs: 

Spikes or points, including wings, are usually placed under the head of slugs, 

although if they are of sufficient size they are sold as single pieces. Spikes 

or points are usually long, flat, and often pointed pearls found near the lateral 

hinge of the shell, while wings are broad, flattish pearls bearing a resemblance 

to the wings of a bird. 
Nuggets and chunks are often classed together, with the difference that the 

chunks are much larger. They are irregular pearly formations resembling 

somewhat a gold nugget in shape. 
Slugs include irregular pearls having no particular name and without much 

value and called "mixed;" also small or seed pearls, "chicken feed," etc. 

Slugs of this class are usually sold by troy weight, and are worth, according to 

quality, from $3 to $3.50 per ounce. 

The ball, the pear, and the button pearls are the most valuable, 
although the capsule and some other forms often command a high 
price if they be symmetrical in shape and of fair size and good luster. 



34 MUSSEL EESOUECES OF THE ILLINOIS EIVER. 

POSITION OF PEARLS IN MUSSEL SHELL. 

Pearls are usually found in the mantle near the tip or posterior 
end of the mussel, while slugs and other pieces may be found in 
various parts of the body, along the lateral hinge, at the cardinal 
teeth, in the adductor muscles, and in the shell itself, etc. 

Sometimes a pearl becomes attached to the shell, after which 
it may be covered over by deposits or layers of nacre and is then 
said to be embedded. These pearls can be recovered by sawing 
the shell around the observed protuberance or by carefully removing 
the inclosing layers. Many shells have what are commonly called 
"blisters," which are successive pearly deposits over mud, muddy 
water, organic matter, or some foreign substance finding its way 
into the mussel. It illustrates a method the animal uses to remedy 
a disturbance within. Blisters, as found in the Unios, have no 
commercial value. There are found occasionally in the meats of the 
mussels cartilaginous formations which are denominated by the 
fishermen as "soft pearls undergoing the process of formation into 
true pearls." It is claimed that soft pearls are caused by a grain 
of sand or other foreign body. 

PEELING A PEARL. 

As pearls are composed of thin concentric layers of nacre and con- 
chiolin or animal substance, each separate and distinct, peeling or 
removing some of the outer layers of the various forms of pearls to 
improve the gems is often done successfully by one versed in this 
Hne of work. Pearls having a dark spot, stain, or chalky appear- 
ance over the entire surface, or even a part of it, are greatly dimin- 
ished in value. Wlien such is the case it is often worth while to try 
the experiment of peehng, as the result will probably be satisfactory 
and a good pearl obtained from witliin. However, it may be stated 
that fairly good pearls have been damaged rather than improved by 
peehng, as the inner layers were in a worse condition than those at 
the original surface. A fine, pink, high-button pearl of 40 grains 
and worth $800 was seen tliis summer. The pearl had a small spot 
on the side and might have been benefited by peeling, but the owner, 
considering its present value and the uncertainty of the result of 
peeling, would not take the risk. 

CRIPPLED SHELLS. 

Occasionally the various mussel beds of the lUinois produce a few 
examples of distorted or injured mussels, commonly called "crippled 
shells." They are regarded by the pearler as excellent finds and 
are generally opened at once without waiting for the cooking-out 
process, with the hope that a piece of some value may be present. 



MUSSEL RESOUKCES OF THE ILLINOIS EIVER. 35 

Those shells which have received an external injury, however, and 
are distorted in consequence, seldom contain anything of value; 
but it does appear unquestionable that other distorted shells owe their 
peculiar condition to the presence of a pearl; the abnormal shape is 
the direct result of an accommodation to the disturbing nacreous 
growth within, which as it slowly develops maintains its position 
relative to the margin of the mantle and valves. Certain shells 
which have come to the writer's attention contained valuable pearls 
as well as showing clearly the abnormal condition. As viewed from 
the outside, such shells have a sUght and gradually broadening ridge 
running diagonally down from near the beak or umbone to the tip 
or the posterior end on one valve and a corresponding valley or 
depression down the other. Within the shell the opposite condition 
of the ridge and valley is true. From this circumstance it is possible 
to estimate with some degree of accuracy the age of the pearl by the 
lines of growth on the external surface of the shell, noting where 
the disturbance begins and ends. In studying these distorted shells 
the pecuhar fact is brought out that the pearl is always on that side 
of the shell whose valve shows, viewed externally, the valley or 
depression. In a large percentage of these distorted shells the 
pearls have been found on the left valve. The pearl, near the margin 
of the mantle, causes the abnormal action of the latter, wliich pro- 
duces the slight inward curve of the nacreous deposit, so that it might 
be said that the pearl Hes on or near a ridge. For the opposite 
valve the mantle condition is reversed, resulting in the outward 
deflection of the nacre, or the vaUey. 

Some of these apparently valuable crippled mussels contain no 
pearl whatever, although the evidence is plainly Nvritten, both within 
and without, in the texture of the shell. When this condition is 
observed, the pearls are said to have been lost or "shed." If the 
pearl were lost some years before the mussel was taken, the shell often 
recovers in part its natural shape from that time on, as shown by the 
lines of growth and the posterior edge or lip, and it is hardly worth 
the time and trouble to try to find a pearl within. 

Accompanying plates show some examples of distorted or other- 
wise injured mussels and will assist in understanding this interesting 
subject. 

QUALITY AND VALUE OF ILLINOIS PEARLS. 

The quaUty of the Illinois River pearls and slugs, though very good, 
does not quite equal that of the pearls and slugs of the Wabash and 
some other tributaries of the Mississippi. Nearly all of the different 
species of mussels have produced pearls and slugs, but the washboard 
(Quadrula Tieros) is the principal pearl-bearing shell of the Illinois, and 
the blue-point and three-ridge (Q. undulata and 'plicata) are among the 



36 MUSSEL EESOUKCES OF THE ILLINOIS RIVEK. 

best slug producers, although the warty-backs {Q. pustulosa) occa- 
sionally have good specimens of the latter. Some of the paper shells 
and floaters were observed to have a number of attached pearls, 
appearing for the most part at the tips or posterior ends of the shells. 
These pearls, as a rule, are of no value except from the standpoint of 
the experimenter. 

The average yield of slugs for the entire river will not exceed, per- 
haps, one-half ounce per ton of shells, while the percentage of good 
pearls is very small indeed. Many valuable gems, however, have 
been found in this river during its shelling history. It is difficult to 
determine the value of the Illinois River pearls and slugs for 1912 or 
for previous years, as there are many buyers traveling along the 
stream during the shelling season who make private purchases of 
them, paying for the slugs from $3 to S3. 50 per troy ounce. Pearls 
ranging in value from $5 to $25 and upward were foimd in 1912 at 
nearly all the principal mussel beds from Hennepin to below Hardin. 
Among the best finds may be mentioned the following: Three fine 
pearls were found in Peoria Lake and sold for $1,100 each, and one 
exceptionally fine pear pearl of beautiful luster, weighing 64 grams, 
sold for $2,500. One at Pearl, 111., sold for $2,700, and one found at 
Hardin brought $750. The news of such good finds spreads rapidly 
throughout the locality and is a great stimulus to the pearl and shell 
industry. The pearlers become expert in their Une of business and 
can usually tell at a glance from what general class of shells the pearls 
and slugs are taken. For example, it is well known to them that the 
lower river beds produce "washboard stuff," which is very white, 
although some of the pieces may be stained similar to the spots in the 
shell, and the upper river stretches yield a large quantity of "blue- 
point stuff," often having a tinge of pinkish color. 



MUSSEL EESOUECES OP THE ILLINOIS EIVER. 



37 



Table 9. — ^Distribution op Mussels at the Principal Stations Along the 

Illinois River. 



Mussel species. 


a 


o 

3 

Q 

X 
X 


ca 
►:] 

•S 
o 

CP 

in 

X 




c 
> 

a 

X 
X 

X 

X 
X 

X 

X 
X 
X 


C3 


X 

X 

X 

X 
X 

X 
X 

X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 

X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 

X 
X 
X 

X 
X 
X 
X 

X 
X 
X 

X 


p 

"S 

m 

X 

X 

X 
X 

X 
X 

X 

X 
X 
X 

X 
X 
X 

X 
X 
X 
X 
X 

X 
X 
X 

X 
X 
X 
X 

X 
X 
X 
X 


§ 
s 

X 
X 

X 
X 

X 
X 

X 
X 
X 
X 
X 

X 
X 
X 
X 

X 
X 
X 
X 
X 

X 
X 

X 
X 
X 

X 

X 


1 

1 

X 

X 

X 
X 

X 
X 

X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 

X 

X 

X 

X 
X 
X 
X 
X 

X 
X 

X 
X 
X 
X 

X 

X 


2; 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 
X 

X 
X 
X 

X 

X 
X 

X 

X 
X 

X 
X 


3 

> 

X 

X 

X 
X 

X 
X 

X 

X 
X 

X 

X 

X 

X 
X 

X 
X 
X 

[[ 

X 

X 
X 


§ 

i 

_o 

X 

X 

X 
X 

X 
X 

X 

X 
X 
X 

X 
X 

X 

X 
X 
X 

X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 

X 
X 
X 

X 
X 
X 
X 


-3 

m 

X 

X 

X 

X 
X 
X 
X 

X 

X 

X 
X 

X 
X 

X 
X 

X 

X 


X 

■■ 
X 

X 
X 

X 
X 

X 
X 
X 
X 
X 

X 
X 

X 
X 

X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 

X 
X 
X 
X 

X 
X 
X 
X 


1 

ci 

ft 

X 

X 
X 
X 

X 

X 

X 

" 
X 
X 

X 
X 

X 
X 


a 

s 

ca 

X 

X 

X 
X 

X 
X 

X 

X 
X 

X 
X 

X 

X 
X 

X 
X 
X 

X 
X 

X 
X 
X 
X 

X 
X 
X 
X 


•0 
a 


a 

a 

.. 
X 
X 

X 

X 
X 

X 
X 

X 

X 
X 
X 

__ 

X 
X 
X 

X 
X 

X 
X 
X 
X 
X 

X 

X 
X 
X 

X 

X 


.g 

■0 

a 

X 
X 
X 
X 
X 

X 
X 

X 
X 

X 

X 
X 
X 

X 
X 

X 
X 

X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 

X 
X 
X 
X 

X 
X 
X 
X 


s 

s 
1 

> 

X 
X 

X 
X 

X 
X 

X 

X 
X 
X 

X 
X 

X 
X 
X 

X 

X 
X 
X 
X 
X 

X 
X 
X 
X 

X 

X 
X 


■6 

B 
y, 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 
X 
X 

X 

X 
X 

X 

X 
X 

X 

X 
X 
X 

X 

X 


1 

2 


X 

X 

X 
X 

X 
X 
X 
X 
X 

X 
X 

X 

X 
X 

X 
X 
X 

X 

X 
X 
X 

X 

X 
X 


> 

s 

a 




c 

X 
X 

X 

X 

X 
X 
X 

X 

X 
X 

X 
X 

X 
X 


g 

a 


1 Purple wartv-back (Quadrula granifera) 




2. Purple warty-back {Quadrula tuberculata)... 


•- 


V V 


y 


4. Niggerhead {Quadrula ■pyramidata) 

5. Niggerhead {Quadrula plena) 




X 
X 
X 
X 






6. Niggerhead {Quadrula solida) 








7. Thin niggerhead {Quadrula coccinea) 








8. Oliio River pig-toe {Quadrula obliqua) 










X 


X 


X X 
X .. 

X X 
X .. 
X X 

Xi.. 
XV 


X 


10. Wabash pig-toe {Quadrula rubiginosa) 




11. Two-liorned poc\ieXbook{Quadrula pustulata) 
12 Warty-h&ck {Quadrula pustulosa) 


X 


X 


Y 


13. Maple-leaf {Quadrula fragosa) 




14. Maple-leaf, stranger {Quadrula lachrymosa) , . 

15. Monkev-face {Quadrula metanevra) 


X 


X 


X 


16 Washboard ( Q uadrula hcros) 


X 
X 
X 


X 
X 
X 




17. Blue-point (Qu/idrula undulata) 


X 
X 


X 
X 


X 


18 Three-ridge {Quadrula plicata) 




19. Bullhead {Plcurobcma xsopus) 




20. Elephant ear ( Unto crassidcns) 

21 Lady-finger, spike ( Unio gibbosus) 


X 
X 


X 
X 


X 
X 


X 


X 
X 




22. Spectacle-case ( Margaritana monodonta) 

23. White hatchet-back {Symphiinotacomplanata) 

24. Fluted shell {Symphynota costata) 




25. Rock-shell, queen ( A rcidcns confragosus) 

26. Rock-shell, queen(-A.nodonta corpulenta.) 


X 


X 


X 
X 

X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 




X 
X 
X 

V 




27. Floater {Anodonia grandis) 


X 






28. Floater (Anodonta suborbiculata) 




29. Floater (Anodonta imbecillis) 






.. X 

X .. 

.. X 
.. X 
.. X 

V 




30. Squaw-foot {Sirophilus edcntulus) 








31. Three-horned shell {Obliquaria reflexa) 




X 
X 




32. Pistol-grip, buckhorn {Tritogonia tuberculata) 

33. Pistol-grip, buckhom {Plagiola donaeiformis) 

34. Deer-toe (Plagiola clcgans) 


X 
X 


X 


35. Butterfly {Plagiola sccuris) 


X 

X 
X 

X 

X 

X 
X 


X 

X 
X 
X 

X 
X 
X 
X 

X 
X 

X 

V 




36. Missouri niggerhead ( Obovaria ellipsis) 






37. Paper-shell {Lampsilis Ixvissima) 








38. Paper-shell {Lampsilis gracilis) 


X 
X 


X 




39. Pink hatchet-back {Lampsilis alata) 


X 


40. Pink hatchet-back {Lampsilis parva) 




41. Black sand-shell {Lampsilis recta) 




X 
X 

X 
X 
X 
X 


X 


42. Slough sand-shell {Lampsilis fallaciosa) 

43. Yellow sand-shell {Lampsilis anodontoides) . . 

44. tUggins-eyQ {Lampsilis higginsii) 


X 


X 










X 
X 


X 


47. Fat mucket {Lampsilis luteola).. 


X 


48. Pocketbook {Lampsilis capax) 


X 








X 


X 















MUSSEL SPECIES. 

There have been recorded about 63 species of Unionidse from the 
Illinois River and its principal tributaries.^ During the present 
investigation, however, the following 49 species were found in the 
main stream. About 20 of these are suitable for manufacturing 
purposes, although only 6 or 7 occur in sufficient quantities to be of 
practical worth. 

a Baker, Frank Collins: A catalogue of the Mollusca of Illinois. Bulletin of the Illinois State Laboratory 
of Natural History, vol. vn, art. vi, September, 1906. 



38 MUSSEL RESOURCES OP THE ILLINOIS RIVER. 

1. Purple Warty-back, Quadrula granifera (Lea). — This is a 
rather rare shell in the Illinois, although a few examples were found 
m the upper half of the shell-producing portion of the river at 
ChUhcothe, Peoria, Havana, and Bath. It is an inflated shell, heavy 
anteriorly, and reaches a good size, but on account of its dull purple 
nacre it is not now used for the manufacture of buttons. After the 
cooking-out process, this shell is discarded by the mussel fishermen 
as worthless. The purple warty-backs, paper-shells, lady-fingers, 
and other culls are gathered along with the commercial species, and 
although they are known to be of no particular value, they are saved 
for the meats for fish bait, and also because they occasionally produce 
good pearls. 

2. Purple Warty-back, Quadrula tuberculata (Rafinesque). — 
Rare; some examples of this mussel were found in the lower stretches 
of the river where the water is swifter, as below the Government 
locks at La Grange, at Diamond Island, and at Hardin. There 
appears to be a more or less gradual change from the inflated granifera 
of the upper stretches, where there is but little current and the 
bottom is composed largely of soft mud, to the much flatter tuberculata 
of the lower river where the bottom is harder and the current is 
stronger. This shell, like the granifera, has a dull purple nacre, and 
at the present time has no commercial value. 

3. NiGGERHEAD, Quodrula ehena (Lea). — On account of its good 
size, firm texture, and fine pearly luster this is the most valuable 
button shell of the United States. Near the tips it produces a few 
iridescent buttons. Although widely distributed throughout the 
entire river, this species is so rare in the upper stretches that often 
only one or two examples are found in a ton of sheUs. In the lower 
third of the river the conditions are better; the number may run as 
high as 2 or 3 per cent. It has been stated that eight or nine years 
ago the eiena and ligamentina (mucket) were fairly abundant m many 
beds of the Illinois, though the indications are that the former was 
never very plentiful. 

Some mussel fishermen are of the opinion that the annual deposit 
of sediment, covering up the beds, is one reason for their dimmution. 
Mr. J. F. Mayes, of Meredosia, 111., has tried an experiment along this 
line, and states that if a washboard (heros), niggerhead (ebena], and 
a mucket (ligamentina) are put into a bucket and water and sand 
are added only the washboard will reach the surface; the others will 
be suffocated. This may explain the situation for some beds where 
the silting occurs rapidly at a time when the animals are more or less 
dormant, but does not appear satisfactory for the entire river. 

Some examples of ehena taken at Peoria and Florence have the 
umbones wide apart, and are similar to Call's figures of this species. 



MUSSEL RESOURCES OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. 39 

as illustrated in his paper on MoUusca, in the Indiana Geological 
Report, for 1899. 

This species was found gravid, early embryo, all four gills, July 12. 

4. Quadrula pyramidata (Lea). — Rare; a few samples were found 
in the last stretch of the river at Hardin and at Twelvemile Island. 
This shell is very heavy anteriorly and thin at the tips. Some 
examples have pink nacre. This and the two species following are 
usually classed with and generally called "pig-toes" by the mussel 
fishermen. 

5. Quadrula plena (Lea). — Rare; an example or two were found 
at Peoria and Hardin. 

6. Quadrula solida (Lea). — A comparatively rare species, although 
found in several mussel beds from Peoria to Hardin, more particularly 
at Peoria, Beardstown, Meredosia, and Valley City. The nacre varies 
from white to salmon. This shell fiurnishes good button material. 

7. Thin Niggerhead, Quadrula coccinea (Conrad) . — This is a very 
rare species in the Illinois. Some examples were found in PeoriaLake. 

8. Ohio River Pig-toe, Quadrula ohliqua (Lamarck). — This shell, 
while not a common one in the Illinois, is found generally distributed 
throughout the river. It furnishes good button material, but is 
hardly equal in size or quality to the species in the Ohio River beds. 

9. Pig-toe, Quadrula undata"- (Barnes). — Although this species 
in the Illinois is the most abundant of the "pig-toe" group, it forms 
but a small percentage of the mussel output. Some beds, depending 
upon the parts worked, gave the following percentages: Chillicothe, 7; 
Pekin, 3; Florence, 9; and Hardin, 2. 

This is a good button shell, "but has considerable waste on account 
of the heavy umbones. At Peoria small undatas just large enough to 
make one blank were taken and sold by some of the mussel fishermen. 
As an excuse for these small shells in theii* piles they said, "The pig- 
toes are running smaller now." 

Some examples had orange flesh. Found gravid in all four gills 
June 20. 

10. Wabash Pig-toe, Quadrula ruhiginosa (Lea.). — This is a rare 
species in the Illinois. The only examples found were taken from 
Peoria Lake. 

11. Two-horned Pocketbook, Quadrula pustulata (Lea). — 
Although this mussel is generally distributed throughout the river, 
it is found in very small numbers. It is usually classed with the 
pustulosa, or warty-backs, but is hardly as good material for ihanu- 
f acturing purposes. 

a According to Mr. Bryant Walker, Nautilus, vol. xxiv, p. 6, the name undata has precedence over 
the one (trigona, Lea) commonly used. 



40 MUSSEL RESOURCES OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. 

12. Warty-back, Quadrula pustulosa (Lea).— The pustulosa, or 
warty-back, is a very common shell in the Illinois, certain very pro- 
dactive beds yielding a large per cent of the output. This mussel, 
though thin at the tips and in old specimens heavy at the beaks, is of 
good size, quality, and luster and often classed next to the niggerhead 
for manufacturing purposes. There are a number of variable forms 
of this species among our examples, one of which (no. F 6245), found 
at Henry, 111., June 19, was referred to Mr. Bryant Walker, who 
states that it "is a young and very much inflated dorfeuilleamus, which 
Simpson calls a synonym of pustulosa. 1 think it quite likely that 
some day it may be given varietal rank." This mussel often contains 
a number of slugs; one of our examples had nearly 50 small nacreous 
pieces at the dorsal part of the body. Found gravid July 5. 

13. Maple-leaf, Quadrula fragosa (Conrad). — Rare; an example 
was found in Peoria Lake, but it does not agree exactly with fragosa 
as we found it in the Cumberland River, near Clarksville, Tenn. 

14. Maple-leaf, Quadrula lachrymosa (Lea). — Lachrymosa, while 
not common, occurs in small numbers in practically all the mussel 
beds of the river. Some examples of this shell found with projecting 
tubercules, appear to be the form described as asperrima, now a 
synonym. Tliis shell has good luster and size in the Illinois and is 
usually classed as first-grade material. One example found in the 
Spoon River measured 4^ inches in length. 

15. Monkey-face, Quadrula metanevra (Rafinesque). — A rare 
species in the Illinois, but few specimens being found at the stations 
given in the general table on page 37. 

The green triangular markings so prominent in well-defined species 
are faint in our specimens. Some examples vary considerably in 
shape and general appearance. One is heavily pustulose anteriorly, 
many of the pustules being elongate along the lines of growth, and 
is strongly suggestive of Q. pustulosa. Another of our examples has 
the markedly pinched posterior dorsal portion generally pronounced 
in this species in the lower Wabash. All of our shells are noticeably 
inflated. 

16. Washboard, Quadrula heros (Say). — Heros is the best button 
shell of the Ilhnois and produces the most blanks per ton, but in 
some locahties is porous and does not do well for an engraved but- 
ton. The three-ridge type makes a better finished button. In the 
upper stretches of the river the complete washboard shell averages 
about 1 pound in weight and is frequently spotted; but from below 
Beardstown to Twelvemile Island it is much smaller, flatter, freer 
from spots and stains, and of good luster. At Hardin this shell is 
no larger than the undulata or bluepoint of Peoria Lake, even old 
examples called "bald-pates" found in the channel are small. 



MUSSEL RESOUECES OF THE ILLINOIS EIVEK. 41 

In some localities, as at Quiver Lake, above Havana, the old Tieros 
are dead; not a single living example was taken, excepting the young, 
indicating that whatever the cause of the mortality had been, more 
favorable conditions exist at present. 

Small shells 2 or 3 inches long are taken by the mussel fishermen; 
and while they make a few good blanks, to take them is very waste- 
ful, as they should be thrown back into the river and allowed to 
mature. 

In our collection there are three examples of this shell, which 
show very clearly the abnormal ridge and valley caused by the growth 
of pearls within. Two of the shells were found near Bath, 111., and 
the other at Peoria. 

Plate II represents a Tieros or washboard, measuring 4f by 6| 
inches. The nacre is remarkably clear. From the entire shell, 5 
dozen 24-Une blanks were cut at the button factory of Mr. J. H. 
Garner, Beardstown, 111. 

17. Blue-point, Quadrula undulata (Barnes). — The undulata is a 
very abundant species and is regarded by the button men as a very 
desirable shell. It is rather flattish, particularly at ChiUicothe, 
though lower down the river it is somewhat more inflated. It is 
rather thin and light in weight but of good size and luster. 

The shell is commonly called the blue-point, but in some camps the 
name of "purple- tip" is applied to it on account of the shght purple 
tinge at the posterior end. 

A few examples almost free from ridges were found in Peoria 
Lake and at Florence, 111. Prof. Richardson, of the State biological 
station at Havana, had two similar specimens taken from the river 
at that place. 

This mussel was found spawning July 12. 

18. Three-ridge, Quadrula plicata (Say). — The three-ridge is 
much less abundant and not so valuable a shell as the blue-point. 
Being usually more inflated, heavier at the beaks, and with larger 
ridges, it leaves more waste after the blanks are cut. 

At Meredosia, it is claimed that the plicata has a tendency to 
crumble when cut. Found gravid July 8 and 15. 

19. BuT.LHEAD, Pleurohema sesopus (Green). — Rare; examples were 
found only at Bath and Meredosia. It is brittle and not a good 
button shell; moreover, being so uncommon in the Illinois, it is dis- 
regarded altogether. 

20. Elephant-ear, Unio crassidens (Lea). — Rare; although found 
in most of the beds, the percentage is so small that it is practically a 
negligible quantity. The nacre varies from pink to white. This 
shell is used for making novelties. 

21. Lady-finger, Spike, Unio gihhosus (Barnes). — The lady-finger 
is not now a commercial shell unless it be white, which is seldom the 



42 MUSSEL EESOUECES OF THE ILLINOIS KIVEB. 

case. It is found in large quantities along the river, some beds, 
which the clammers avoid as much as possible, having a very large 
percentage. Above the upper bridge at Peoria there are two small 
beds of this species; one bed consists mostly of white nacred shells, 
while in the other the nacre is the ordmary dull purple color. At 
Meredosia a driveway leading from the river to the bank above is 
covered with about 60 tons of these shells. They had been pur- 
chased at a low price m the hope that there would be a demand for 
them. Button cutters claim that even the white gibhosus do not 
make good blanks on account of the shell being brittle. 

In the Cumberland Kiver, crassidens is much more abundant than 
gibhosus, which is the poposite condition in the Illinois. 

22. Spectacle-case, Margaritana monodonta (Say). — Rare; only 
one example was found during the entire trip, at Diamond Island, 
above Hardin, although there were some specimens from this river 
at the biological laboratory at Havana, 111. The shell is too thin 
and brittle to be of any commercial importance. Not so large as the 
Cumberland River species. 

23. White heel-splitter, Symphynota complanata (Barnes). — 
Wlien of sufficient tluckness, this shell is used for buttons. It is 
fairly common in the Illinois, and from its flat shape and outline is 
often called the ' ' elephant-ear " by the mussel fishermen. It is found 
in sloughs and in mud bottoms. 

24. Fluted-shell, Symphynota costata (Rafinesque). — Rare; only 
one example found, at Bath. 

25. Rock-shell, Bastard, Queen, Arcidens confragosus (Say). — 
Found in small quantities on almost all of the mussel beds. It is 
not regarded as particularly good button material. This shell is 
sometimes called the black pocketbook, rock pocketbook, and bas- 
tard. An extra large and inflated example was found at Havana, 
June 28. 

In young examples of confragosus the interior surface of the shell 
is indented or pitted to conform with the more pronounced pustules 
on the outside. This condition at the end of probably two years 
disappears, the shell becoming covered with subsequent layers of 
nacre. 

26. Anodonta corpulenta (Cooper). — Four Anodontas, the corpu- 
lenta, grandis, suborhiculata, and imhecillis, were found during the 
present survey. They are thin, paperlike shells and have no com- 
mercial or economic value, excepting perhaps as they are used occa- 
sionally by the mussel fishermen for fish bait or hog feed. The cor- 
pulenta is found in sloughs, and on soft mud bottoms. 

27. Floater, Anodonta grandis (Say). — Distributed as the pre- 
ceding species. Shells which have recently been killed rise to the 
surface of the water on account of the gases of decomposition and 



MUSSEL RESOURCES OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. 43 

are seen floating along with the current; hence the common name of 
''floater." Grandis and corpulenta are often affected with parasites, 
particularly at tlie posterior end. Our examples were all of only 
moderate size as compared with shells seen in retired places along the 
Cumberland. 

28. Anodonta suhorbiculata (Say). — Suborbiculata is widely dis- 
tributed and is generally found on mud bottoms and in slack water. 

29. Anodonta imhecillis (Say). — This small, delicate shell is very 
abundantly distributed, especially in the more retired places of quiet 
waters. Found gravid June 27 and July 2. 

30. Sqjj AW-FOOT, Strophitus edentulus (S&j). — Found rather scat- 
tering throughout the various stretches and mussel beds of the river. 
The nacre is usually of a yellowish color. This shell has no particular 
commercial value, although some examples are found which are of 
sufficient thickness and size for manufacturing purposes. 

31. Three-horned Shell, Ohliquaria rejiexa (Rafinesque). — This 
mussel is widely distributed and is usually of small size. There are 
two or three forms of rejiexa found in the Ilhnois. In the upper 
stretches of the river it is of the ordinary shape and size found in 
other streams, and although it can be used for manufacturing pur- 
poses it is not a particularly valuable shell to propagate. In the 
Peoria Lake region, however, where the current is slow and the bot- 
tom is composed of soft mud, the shell is often very heavy and rounded 
anteriorly, while posteriorly it is tliin and much elongated, which no 
doubt is the result of accommodation to natural conditions. In the 
lower stretches the shell, though heavy and inflated, is considerably 
smaller than those in the upper portions of the river. A number of 
our examples have five tubercules on each valve. Found gravid 
June 27 and July 3. 

32. BucKHORN, Pistol-grip, Tritogonia tuberculata (Barnes). — 
Although this interesting species is comparatively rare in the Ilhnois, it 
is widely distributed. The name of pistol-grip is applied to it in some 
locaHties, owing to the fact that it fits the hand fike a pistol. The 
characteristic ridge of this shell gives it somewhat the appearance of 
the abnormal ridge found occasionally on the Jieros or washboard as 
the result of pearl growth. While this shell has a ridge on each valve, 
the abnormal washboard has but one valve ridged, the other having 
a corresponding valley. 

The buckhorn furm'shes good material for the manufacture of 
buttons and novelties. 

33. Little Pocketbook, Plagiola donaciformis (Lea). — This small 
mussel, although of no commercial value, is very common in the 
Illinois. There are two types of this species found in many beds, 
differing in shape to a certain extent and particularly in color. On 



44 MUSSEL RESOURCES OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. 

account of its resemblance to L. ventricosa it is often called the "little 
pocketbook." Found gravid June 27 and July 4. 

34. Deer-toe, Plagiola elegans (Lea). — This beautiful species is 
found in small quantities throughout the entire river. It is hardly 
considered a commercial shell, but the larger and thicker examples 
are often seen in the mussel camps and piles along the shore. The 
length of the largest shell of this species found during the survey was 
2f inches (70 mm.). Some examples, particularly from those por- 
tions of the river having soft mud bottoms, are greatly elongated 
posteriorly, and others bear a strong resemblance to P. donaciformis. 

There are two forms of elegans found in several of the mussel beds 
of the Illinois, particularly noticeable at Peoria, The common form 
is the more abundant and compares favorably with the species in the 
collection of the Unionidae at the Bureau of Fisheries and with those 
found in the Maumee and Wabash Rivers. The other form is pro- 
portionately more inflated, and has brownish epidermis, darker pos- 
teriorly, with dark capillary hues. The pseudocardinal teeth are 
heavy and curved; the laterals are broad and striate. The nacre is 
pink. The truncated shape gives it somewhat the appearance of 
Truncilla triquetra (Rafinesque). Some fine examples were found 
near the upper bridge, at Peoria, lU., June 27. 

35. Butterfly, Plagiola securis (Lea). — The butterfly, or securis, 
is not a common species m this river, although many of the beds 
could be made to yield productively by propagation. On account of 
its flatter shape and proportionaUy hghter weight, the male sheU is 
more valuable for commercial purposes than the female. 

36. Missouri niggerhead, Ohovaria ellipsis (Lea). — This species 
is comparatively rare in the IlUnois VaUey, but some examples were 
found from Peoria Lake to the mouth. This shell has a velvety 
epidermis and a good pearly nacre and furnishes good button mate- 
rial. The ellipsis appears to be closely related to Mgginsii. 

37. Paper-shell, Lampsilis Isevissima (Lea). — This shell is fairly 
common in the river, and at the present tune has no economic value. 
In nearly every example examined at Beardstown and a few other 
place.^, this mussel was more or less diseased at or near the tips or 
posterior end, due to parasitic infection. 

38. Paper-shell, Lampsilis gracilis (Barnes). — This mussel resem- 
bles the preceding species. The shell is thin and has no commercial 
value, though the meats or soft parts are used occasionally for fish 
bait. Found gravid June 27. 

39. Pink Heel-splitter, Lampsilis alata (Say). — This species is 
fairly common and is found mostly on mud bottoms. It has no 
commercial value. One of our examples, taken at Hardin, is thick 
enough for manufacturing purposes and has a good white nacre. 



MUSSEL RESOURCES OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. 45 

40. Lampsilis parva (Barnes). — A rare species ; one example found 
in Peoria Liake. This is a small, delicate shell of no economic value, 

41. Black Sand-shell, Lampsilis recta (Lamarck). — The black 
sand-sheU is a rather common one and reaches a very large size in this 
river. It is found in the lakelike places of the stream and in the 
swifter parts of the lower stretches. The nacre is generally pinkish 
or purple and, although the texture is good, the shells are discarded 
by the mussel fishermen and buyers, as there appears to be no particu- 
lar demand at the present time for colored shells. The white-nacred 
ones, though much less abundant, are always saved. They are 
usually classed along with the yeUow sand-shell, and are mad.^ use 
of in novelty factories. In the mussel camps this shell is often called 
"lady's sUpper," on account of the appearance of the valves when 
opened out flat. 

42. Slough Sand-shell, Lampsilis fallaciosa (Smith). — Abund- 
ant; usually found standing on end burrowed in the mud of sloughs 
and bays or along the shore where there is but little current. When 
of sufficient size and thickness, they are classed with the yeUow sand- 
sheU. In Peoria Lake the fallaciosa are beautifully rayed. 

Some doubt has arisen as to whether this species is identical with 
anodontoides, but it appears on the Illinois to be a distinct species. 
Our examples are markedly different from anodontoides of the same 
region. The fallaciosa vary greatly in distinctness and abundance of 
rays, some being but faintly rayed, others with many broad pro- 
nounced green rays. One example, a fine large male, is so heavily 
rayed as to be almost green, and approaches more nearly than any 
of the others the general form of anodontoides, but could not well be 
confused with that species. A well-rayed female of moderate size 
is noteworthy for a marked reddish-orange cast of the epidermis, the 
shell beneath having a rosy tinge. Another constant difference in 
our examples is the cardinal tooth of the right valve, which is com- 
pressed and almost lamelliform in fallaciosa, while in anodontoides it 
is more triangular. 

It is quite possible that the convergence of the two species in the 
southern and southwestern portions of the United States is due to 
the different features of bottom and general abundance of silt and 
slough-like conditions in the lower courses of rivers, which would 
cause aU to assume the characters of the slough-dweUing form. 

43. Yellow Sand-shell, Lampsilis anodontoides (Lea). — This 
species is found sparingly throughout the upper river, but is fairly 
abundant in the Hardin district, where it is in sufficient quantity to 
be sorted out and sold separately at an advanced price. This shell 
is the most valuable of the fresh-water mussels, and as it is easily 
propagated, many of the beds where the conditions are favorable 
coidd be restored. It prefers deep water and clean sandy bottoms. 



46 MUSSEL EESOUECES OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. 

Our examples have a rich yellow epidermis, and are appropriately 
called "banana shells" in some localities. This shell is valued at 
about $60 per ton. 

44. HiGGiNS-ETE, Lampsilis Mgginsii (Lea).— Not common, though 
widely distributed, particularly over the lower half of the river. The 
males sometimes bear a strong 'resemblance to Obovaria ellipsis. 
There are four females in our collection and they present marked 
differences and peculiarities: One is normal and requires no com- 
ment; another flattened, flaring posteriorly, and suggests permanent 
sterility; another example has that portion covering the brood pouch 
strongly inflated, the portion of the shell immediately behind it 
imderdeveloped and a trifle sulcate, forming a slight emargination ; 
the general form suggests overdevelopment. The remaining example 
somewhat resembles this, but is flatter. 

45. Lampsilis orhiculata (Hildreth). — This species has good luster 
and thickness. There are two examples in our collection, one from 
Chillicothe and the other from Peoria. The nacre of one is rather 
pinkish. This species is difficult to separate from Mgginsii, but is 
generally more southern in distribution. 

46. MucKET, Lampsilis ligamentina (Lamarck). — The mucket 
occurs in small numbers throughout the entire river but is more 
plentiful in Peoria Lake than elsewhere. This mussel is usually 
smaller and thinner than those of the Kankakee, Fox, and Wabash 
Rivers, but nevertheless is regarded as a first-class commercial shell 
and is a very desirable species for propagation. Our examples and 
those seen in the shell piles along the shore have a pearly white nacre, 
while in some rivers — as, for example, the Mississippi — there are found 
a fair percentage with a pinkish color. The mucket was found gravid, 
late embryo, July 9. 

47. Fat Mucket, Lampsilis luteola (Lamarck). — The fat mucket 
is widely distributed, though like the preceding species it is more 
plentiful in Peoria Lake. The male shells are much more desirable 
for button purposes than the female, the latter, especially in the 
older specimens, being more inflated and more troublesome to cut. 
This shell is often called the black mucket and pug-nose mucket. 
Found gravid June 27. 

48. PocKETBOOK, LampsiUs capax (Green) . — This is a rare species 
in the Illinois, and was found more frequently below locks and dams 
where the water was swifter. It is not a desirable shell to propagate. 

49. PocKETBOOK, LampsiUs ventricosa (Barnes) . — While this species 
is not a common one, it is more plentiful than the preceding mus- 
sel, and, hke it, was more abundant in the swifter parts of the 
river, as below locks and dams. Some beautiful young examples, 
having a very delicate pink nacre and fine epidermal markings, were 



MUSSEL RESOURCES OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. 47 

taken, especially at Peoria and Meredosia; this is a remarkable con- 
dition for so muddy a river as the Illinois. This pocketbook, though 
inclined to be brittle, is usually good button material. 

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS. 

The Illinois river is 273 miles in length, and, from a mussel fisher- 
man's point of view, it is one of the most important tributaries of 
the upper Mississippi. 

Sewage pollution, with perhaps one or two exceptions, does not 
appear to have decreased the abundance or quaUty of the shells 
within the last 180 miles of the river. 

The dip net is used almost exclusively in the Peoria Lake district 
and a few other places where similar lakelike conditions exist. 

The price per ton of the river run of commercial shells during 1912 
was $12 to $13. 

Some excellent pearls have been found, ranging in value from a 
few dollars to $2,700. Slugs do not average more than one-half 
ounce per ton of shells. 

The laws relating to mussel fishery have been generally observed. 

There are 15 button or blank factories, with about 250 machines, 
along the river. The raw material is being better utihzed than 
formerly. 

The abundance of dead shells on many of the mussel beds may be 
due in part to the lack of erosion of the water and to the injurious 
effects of the crowfoot hooks. 

The levees which have been heretofore and are now being con- 
structed, particularly in the lower stretches of the river, reduce to a 
large extent the breeding grounds of the valuable species of fishes 
and incidentally affect the future supply of the mussels. During 
their early life mussels are parasites upon fishes for a period of from 
two to six weeks, and if the fish supply is greatly reduced it is readily 
seen that the mussel supply will also be materially reduced. 

The washboard, or blue-point (Quadrula), group of mussels pre- 
dominates in the Illinois. The slow current, mud bottoms, good 
average depth of water, and large fish resources all tend to make the 
river an ideal one for this group. The niggerheads (ebena), although 
apparently never very abundant, have become greatly reduced in 
numbers, from a cause not definitely determined. The old wash- 
boards Qieros) in some places, as at Quiver Lake above Havana, have 
been killed, though the present conditions there appear to be more 
favorable. 

The mucket (Lampsilis) group is found scattered in small quanti- 
ties throughout the entire river, but more abundantly in Peoria Lake 
and the lower stretches. 



48 MUSSEL RESOTJRCES OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. 

The Illinois has been the most productive stream per mile of any 
in the country. There are but few places within the limits of shell 
production that do not support mussel beds, though certain stretches^ 
as between Peoria and Kampsville, show marks of depletion. 

The immediate future of the Illinois is good, but unless suitable 
mussel propagation is introduced and carried on imder proper man- 
agement, the river will become depleted within a few years and a 
valuable source of revenue thus be lost to the State. 

There are several good localities where the propagation of mussels 
could be carried on successfully, as at Peoria, Havana, Bath, Beards- 
town, Meredosia, Pearl, Kampsville, and Hardin. 



U. S. B. F.— Doc. 804. 



Plate II. 




WASHBOARD (QUADRULA HERDS), SIZE 4- BY 6j INCHES. 
Five dozen buttons were cut fronn the entire shell. 



U. S. B. F.— Doc. 804. 



Plate III. 




AN EXTERIOR VIEW OF A WASHBOARD (QUADRULA HERDS), SHOWING THE ABNORMAL RIDGE 
ON THE RIGHT VALVE AND THE VALLEY ON THE LEFT VALVE, WHICH ARE SIGNS OF THE 
PRESENCE OF A PEARL WITHIN. 



In-thii 



nple the pearl evidently began to form when the shell was about 1 year old. The age of the shell 
when taken was about 20 years. This shell was found at Bath, 111., by Harry Lockwood. 



U. S. B. F.— Doc. 804. 



Plate IV. 




AN INTERIOR VIEW OF THE SHELL REPRESENTED IN PLATE 111. 

'^ ThTnV.^'' '7^" ^°"d't'°" °f the ridge and valley, and also the position of the pearl, which weighed 1 1 grains, 
found in the rthth'; '* l^tP"'-]^ r,"""! ^^! P"^^' ^"= ^°""d' '= ='^^^- A shell very similar to this one was 
oontair^eH^, H^ Th K°, ^'^"^ Island and contained a 10-grain high-button pearl, but was stained and 
contained nnud. The shell was also stained at the point where the pearl was found. 



U. S. B. F.— Doc. 804. 



Plate V. 




FIG. 1.— A THREE-RIDGE (QUADRULA PLICATA) WHICH WAS INJURED AND CONTAINED 

NO PEARLS. 




FIG. 2.— ONE VALVE OF A THREE-RIDGE (Q. PLICATA), SHOWING THE 
CAVITY FROM WHICH AN EMBEDDED 58-GRAIN TURTLEBACK PEARL 
WAS TAKEN, WHICH WHEN PEELED- PRODUCED A FINE 20-GRAIN 
HIGH-BUTTON. 

This shell, on account of the distortion caused by the pearly growth, is somewhat kidney-shaped. 



^lamaems^m^mm 




MILLBRO 




K 



/ 



90- 



V 



~7^ 



< 



\ 



/i 



MCMAMVT a ~ 



^6 



-^ 



L GRAFTON 



SPRINCFIELn 



II.MNOIS WWV.W RASIN 

PEARL MUSSEL 

INVESTIGATION 

1U12 

Scale 

J r • 



39* 



"^^i^^ 



X.-^ 



Tx 



ffieo tr S. SLAMCM4/>0 DCu 



THE MUSSEL HSHERY OF THE FOX RIVER 



By John A. Eldridge 



Appendix VII to the Report of the U. S. Cotntnissioner 
of Fisheries for 1913 

1 



CONTENTS 



Page. 

General characteristics of Fox River 3 

Pearls and shelling on Fox River 4 

Characteristics of the shellers 5 

Methods in use 5 

Fox River shells 6 

Abundance and value of the shells 7 

Distribution of mussels in Fox River 8 

Conclusion 8 

2 



THE MUSSEL FISHERY OF THE FOX RIVER. 



By John A. Eldridge. 



The portion of the river embraced by the inquiry and dealt with 
in this report is that between Pistakee Bay, just south of the Wis- 
consin State line, and the mouth of the river at Ottawa, 111., a dis- 
tance of about 90 miles. The conditions of the stream were ascer- 
tained in part from observation and experiment, in part from ques- 
tioning shellers, buyers, and manufacturers. The time of the 
inquiry proved unfortunate, as cold weather had stopped much of 
the work carried on during the summer. The brief time devoted 
to the inquiry prohibited as thorough an examination as was desired. 

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF FOX RIVER. 

This river, which is about 150 miles in length, rises in Waukesha 
County, Wis., a little northwest of Milwaukee. It flows south and 
southwest and enters the Illinois River at Ottawa. (See map, 
plate VI, preceding paper.) 

As described by Forbes and Richardson in their pamphlet on the 
fishes of Illinois," the drainage basin of the river is an undulating 
prairie region with more or less woodland and some swamps. For a 
distance of nearly 75 miles from its source the fall amounts to only 
a few inches to the mile. In its passage through Kane and Kendall 
Counties the fall per mile is about 3 feet, but in La Salle County it 
increases to about 5 feet per mile, making a descent of nearly 125 
feet in the lower 25 miles of its course. Its channel even in its 
lower 75 miles has a breadth of only one-eighth of a mile. 

Above Algonquin the river valley forms one of Cliicago's foremost 
summer resorts; throughout this whole region its banks are lined 
with summer cottages. Its lower course is through fertile farming 
country, and several flourishing manufacturing cities lie on its banks. 
Many power dams have been constructed, which, with their influence 
on the depth, current, and character of the bottom, strongly affect 
the Mollusca above them. In most places the water is clear and 
apparently pure, but of late years the refuse of such places as Aurora 

o Forbes, S. A., and Richardson, R, E.: The fishes of Illinois, Natural History Survey of Illinois, vol. 
m, p. XLiv-v, 1908. 

3 



4 MUSSEL FISHEKY OF THE FOX EIVEK. 

and Elgin has contaminated it for considerable distances below those 
cities. This, however, does not seem to have harmed the mussels 
in these regions. 

PEARLS AND SHELLING ON THE FOX. 

Pearls have been hunted on the Fox, as upon other mussel-bearing 
streams, for many years. During the last six years pearl hunting 
has increased in extent, but did not assume commercial importance 
until 1909, when hundreds of shellers were at work, chiefly between 
Millington and Sheridan. Several good finds were made which 
attracted others to the river, and by the middle of the summer the 
whole region from Yorkville to Serena swarmed with pearl hunters. 

Certain portions of the river have received much notoriety from 
the newspapers on account of the pearl finds. These stories are 
often exaggerated, but, even at the prices named, the value of the 
finds seldom warrants the space given to them. This attention from 
the press has given the region near Elgin a reputation for pearl 
production which it does not deserve. The Fox has produced some 
extremely good pearls; its yield is much above the average; but 
most of the better finds have been made in the lower river in the 
neighborhood of Sheridan. From information gained from shellers 
and pearlers it is estimated that the average value of a season's 
pearl find for a constant sheller, between Geneva and Yorkville, 
would not exceed $100. On the mussel bed between MilHngton and 
Sheridan, however, extraordinary conditions seem to exist. The 
average value for finds here has been very high. Many extremely 
good pearls have been foimd in the last few years, ranging in price 
from $1,000 to $1,850. This region seems to have been one of the 
most fertile pearl producers in the country, though few valuable 
pieces were found in 1911. A few shellers still continue to work on 
this bed in spite of the extreme scarcity of shells, depending for 
compensation almost entirely upon ''finds." Shells found in this 
district are opened by the knife to avoid injuring the pearls by 
cooking. 

The shells in this locality are almost entirely muckets (Lampsilis 
ligamentina) ', the river bed is rock and gravel and the current is 
strong. 

In 1909 shells were sold for the first time. The beds above York- 
ville were tapped the following year and shellers were attracted to 
the work throughout the entire region between Gary and Sheridan. 
Two years of heavy shelling depleted the beds near the latter place. 
Further up, especially near Elgin, pearl hunters have increased in 
numbers, but the scarcity of shells and other conditions closed the 
season early. Apparently, shelling here as elsewhere along the river 
has seen its best days. 



MUSSEL FISHERY OF THE FOX RIVER. 5 

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SHELLERS. 

The shellers and pearlers on the Fox are of a totally different type 
from those found on some of the larger streams. Although the river 
has been extensively worked for several years and its pearl finds have 
received much attention from newspapers, few outside shellers have 
come in. In some cases shellers from other States have been driven 
out by threatened prosecution under the State mussel law, which 
requires a license for nonresidents. As a consequence the nomadic 
class, found so frequently on some rivers, does not exist on this. 
Most of the shellers here are persons from the factory or the farm, 
who take an outing of perhaps several days or a few weeks every 
summer and try their luck on the river. With few exceptions, they 
aje an inteUigent, industrious, pleasant class of people. 

The pearlers care Uttle for the value of the shells and usually do 
not save them; they are left on the bank or thrown into the river to 
litter up the bed and thus are wasted. In some instances the shells 
are saved by regular shellers who gather them up along the bank or 
buy them from the pearlers at 5 to 10 cents a bucket, a rate of from 
$3 to $7 a ton. 

The regular shellers who work day after day during the summer 
months depend chiefly on the shells for a Hving, and consider any 
pearls found as so much additional profit. Money from pearls may 
amount to more than from shells, but this can not be depended upon, 
for often nothing of value is found during the season and the general 
average for the year is not very high. 

The number of regular sheUers on the river during September, 1911, 
was about 70; in midseason there were probably as many as 100. 
The number of amateur pearlers on the river on some Sundays in 
the summer ranges perhaps between 400 and 500. 

Many of the regular shellers begin work early in the spring and 
continue until the season closes October 1. During the season a 
sheUer often gathers as many as 15 or 20 tons of shells, and the daily 
wages averages $3, exclusive of pearl finds. 

METHODS IN USE. 

During the greater part of the season the sheUs are obtained by 
wading. The outfit consists simply of a pail or burlap bag to hold 
the mussels and a knife to open them. The regular sheller usually has 
a boat into which he throws the mussels and opens them by cooking. 
The mussel bar and mule are but Uttle used, except in cold weather or 
high water. Some have a wheel at each end serving as a support 
from the river bottom. The mule which has given most success is a 
long and narrow one, about 8 feet long by 15 inches wide. In places 
where there is but little current a windlass is sometimes built upon the 



6 MUSSEL FISHERY OF THE FOX EIVEE. 

rear end of the boat carrying 500 feet of rope holding an anchor. The 
anchor is thrown out at the lower end of a bed, the boat rowed up- 
stream to the extent of the rope, and the bar put into the water. 
Rewinding the windlass pulls both boat and bar downstream over the 
bed. 

FOX RIVER SHELLS. 

The most characteristic mussel of the Fox is the mucket (Lampsilis 
ligamentina) , which constitutes 90 per cent of the shells sent to 
market, and is of high grade, almost equahng the niggerhead as a 
button shell. Its luster is excellent, and its shape allows pr'iGtically 
the whole shell to be made into buttons with very Uttle waste. The 
muckets from the region between Oswego and Yorkville are con- 
sidered the best; those lower down the river are thinner, and those 
above are sUghtly smaller. 

On the upper river the mucket is of no importance. The shells 
saved here run 10 per cent blue-point (Quadrula undulata). They are 
of poor grade and no market has been found for them. Sixty tons 
of these shells were lying upon the bank above Gary awaiting a buyer 
at any price. Where there is Uttle current and a muddy bottom the 
floater (Anodonta grandis) is chiefly found, while the fat mucket 
(Lampsilis luteola), the mucket {Lampsilis ligame^itina) , and the 
three-ridge (Quadrula plicata) or the blue-point (undulata) are rare. 
Going downstream, where a strong current and a rocky bottom are 
found, the mucket appears and increases in numbers until it forms a 
large percentage of the catch, the floater (Anodonta grandis), the fat 
mucket (Lampsilis luteola), and the blue-point (Quadrula undulata) 
decrease, and below Yorkville all are extremely scarce, the latter 
being seldom seen. 

In places where dams check the current and bring about upstream 
conditions — still water and mud — the three ridges and other shells 
of the higher river are found in large numbers, while the muckets are 
scarce. 

The fluted shell (SympTiynota costata), and the squaw-foot (Stro- 
phitus edentulus), are found in larger numbers on the upper stream; 
the elk-toe (Alasmidonta truncata) more often on the rock bottom 
lower down; the lady-finger (Unio gihhosus), the Wabash pig- toe 
(Quadrula ruhiginosa), the purple warty-back (Quadrula tuhercu- 
lata) , the pocketbook (Lampsilis ventricosa) , and the black sand-shell 
(Lampsilis recta) are found in rather small numbers along all parts 
of the river. The warty-back (Quadrula pustulosa) is extremely rare, 
but two specimens of this species being seen during the investigation 
out of thousands of shells along the river. It is stated that it was 
once common. 



MUSSEL FISHERY OF THE FOX RIVER. 7 

While the small number of shells involved in some cases tends to 
render the figures inexact, the following table showing shells obtained 
at different points along the stream indicates in general the compara- 
tive numbers and distribution of the various species. 

ABUNDANCE AND VALUE OF THE SHELLS. 

The price of shells paid by local buyers varies from $18 to $21 a 
ton; in some cases prices direct to factory were as high as $24. 

Estimates for the last three years of the shipment of the Fox River 
shells are as follows: 1909, 10 to 12 carloads; 1910, 25 to 30 carloads; 
1911 , 22 carloads. The catch for next year is expected to be a bare 
third of that obtained in 1911. More than half of the shells were 
taken this year from the bed extending from Five Islands to Elgin; 
several carloads were caught above Elgin, and the rest on the lower 
river. 

Most of the shells are shipped to Iowa factories, and some are sent 
to Germany every year. There are two blank factories along the 
river, one at Yorkville with 16 machines, and one at Samonauk with 
10, which form the market for a few carloads each year. 

Apparently at one time mussels were scattered quite evenly over 
the whole Fox River, at any rate as far down as Serena. There is no 
reason to doubt that shells were as plentiful near Sheridan several 
years ago as in other parts of the stream. The shelling of recent 
years, however, has in some places nearly exhausted the mussels, 
and there is a great difference in those remaining. On the river 
north of Carpenters ville, where little shelling has been done previous 
to this year, 15 to 20 tons of shells were the usual catch per man in 
1911; below Elgin on the Five Islands bed, which has been worked 
for two years, the catch averaged 10 to 12 tons per man; farther 
down below YorkviUe, 7 tons per man were considered a good yield; 
on the Millington-Sheridan bed, which is the oldest and hardest 
worked in the river, but 4 tons a year per man could be caught. 
It was the general opinion that the shelling for 1911 was 50 per cent 
less than that of the previous year. The only cause for this is the 
ravages of man. As far as could be determined, but little loss is 
caused by animals or by natural conditions. 



MUSSEL FISHERY OF THE FOX RIVER, 
Distribution of Mussels in Fox River. 



Mussel species. 


« 
S 

•a 

Ph 


i 

K 





.g 

§ 

< 




M °* 
11 


.9 

5 





d 

1 



_2 
.•a 


1 

1 


9 

.a 

03 


Purple warty-back {Quadrula granifera) 










1 

10 
12 














Wabash pig-toe {Quadrula rubignosa) 






3 
40 

"'9" 


15 
15 
2 
34 
2 
2 


2 

6 


'ie' 


3 


4 


2 
4 


4 


Blue point (Quodruta Mnduto^a) 


2 
20 


"2 

39 




Three-ridge {Quadrula plicata) 










13 
"2 


6 
2 


4 
10 










Elk-toe (Alasmidonta truncata) 










? 


Fluted shell (Symphpnota costata) 




3 

8 


8 
14 










Floater {ATwdonta grandis) 


38 














Squaw-foot (Strophitus edentulus) 














2 


? 


Black sand-shell {Lampsilis recta) 






2 
6 
14 

4 












2 

94 




Mucket (Lampsilis ligamentina) 






25 
5 


47 

14 

1 


78 


68 
2 


90 
3 
4 


90 
2 


•1? 


Fat mucket (Lampsilis luteola) 


40 


48 




Pocketbook (Lampsilis ventricosa) 

















CONCLUSION. 

The foremost fact concerning Fox River shelling is that the mussels 
are disappearing. The causes that have brought about this condition 
will probably continue until the beds are completely exhausted, since 
the unprofessional basis on which the work is conducted will allow its 
continuance after it has ceased to be profitable. There is but a small 
professional class which this exhaustion of mussels can influence 
seriously. This class for the most part will have left the river next 
year. Yet there are two blank factories near the Fox depending 
altogether upon it for raw material. Steps should be taken to pre- 
serve the mussel beds here for their o-v^ti sake and because of their 
importance to the American button manufacturers. The grade of 
shell is for the most part very good, and the shells have been found in 
large numbers. The pearls, which have equaled the best in the 
country, have nearly disappeared. 

The conditions observed in 1911 indicated that the industry on this 
river was doomed to disappear within a year or two unless preventive 
measures were taken. 

o 



